Vascular Access

Vascular Access

If you are on hemodialysis, a vascular access is the site from which blood can be safely removed and returned to your body. There are both temporary and permanent vascular accesses.

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WANTED: Permanent Access Angels

This document tells you about how you can help other patients by sharing your experiences with getting, using, and maintaining your permanent access.

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Stay on the road to your permanent access.

This checklist is designed to help you to stay on the road to the placement and use of a permanent access.

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Coping with Needle Fear

This resource addresses needle fear and offers tips for overcoming and managing the fear to encourage the use of vascular access over catheters.

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Needle Fear - Additional Tips

This document provides tips and information on addressing needle fear.

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Vascular Access Education

Life Options has free print materials available, including booklets, newsletters, and fact sheets. This site contains vascular access education in multiple languages.

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My Vascular Access

If you and your dialysis care team decide that hemodialysis is the best choice for you, you will need to have a vascular access made. This site will help you take the proper steps to plan your access.

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Benefits of Having a Permanent Access

This document outlines the many benefits patients have shared for having a permanent dialysis access.

• English
• Spanish

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What You Need to Know to Keep Your Fistula Healthy - Spanish

This Spanish language guide provides information about what kidney patients need to know to stay healthy with a fistula.

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What You Need To Know To Keep Your Fistula Healthy

This guide provides information about what kidney patients need to know to stay healthy with a fistula.

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Vascular Access Education in Multiple Languages

Life Options has free print materials available, including booklets, newsletters, and fact sheets. This site also contains vascular access education in multiple languages.

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Fistula First, Catheter Last Website

This website can help patients with kidney disease make a choice about which type of vascular access to use if you choose hemodialysis.

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