Table 1 Patient, vascular access and nurse characteristics
Patient variables | Mean (SD) | Range | |
Age (years) | 68.3 (14.7) | 30.1–90.9 | |
BMI (kg/m2) | 27.3 (6.1) | 14.4–64.7 | |
n | (%) | ||
Sex | Female | 54 | (36.2) |
Male | 95 | (63.8) | |
Co-morbidities | Diabetes | 81 | (54.4) |
Peripheral vascular disease | 34 | (22.8) | |
Heart disease | 72 | (48.3) | |
Hypertension | 112 | (75.2) | |
Hypotension | 9 | (6.0) | |
Smoker | 7 | (4.7) | |
Medications | Steroids | 4 | (2.7) |
Immunosuppressant | 5 | (3.4) | |
Anticoagulant | 13 | (8.7) | |
PAI | 12 | (8.1) | |
Mean (SD) | Range | ||
Age of access (years) | 3.8 (4.0) | 0.7–29.1 | |
Median | Interquartile range | ||
2.4 | 1.6–5.2 | ||
n | (%) | ||
Type of Access | Fistula | 133 | (89.3) |
Graft | 16 | (10.7) | |
AVF vessel | Brachio-cephalic | 78 | (58.6) |
Radio-cephalic | 47 | (35.3) | |
Brachio-basilic | 6 | (4.5) | |
AVG location | Upper arm | 13 | (81.2) |
Lower arm | 2 | (12.5) | |
Thigh | 1 | (6.2) | |
Access revised in last 3 months | Yes | 14 | (9.4) |
No | 120 | (80.5) | |
AVF Vessel | Straight | 95 | (63.8) |
Zig-zag | 39 | (26.2) | |
Bifurcation | Nil | 84 | (56.4) |
Single | 44 | (29.5) | |
Multiple | 14 | (9.4) | |
Aneurysm | Yes | 44 | (29.5) |
No | 98 | (65.8) | |
Depth of Access | Superficial | 55 | (36.9) |
Palpable | 73 | (49.0) | |
Non-palpable | 1 | (0.7) | |
Nurse characteristics | Mean (SD) | Range | |
Age | 41.4 (9.8) | 20–62 | |
Years as Registered Nurse | 16.2 (9.8) | 1–40 | |
Years as Hemodialysis nurse | 9.8 (6.7) | 0.4–30 | |
n | (%) | ||
Employment Status | Full time | 31 | (49.2) |
Part time / Casual | 31 | (49.2) | |
Sex | Female | 53 | (84.1) |
Male | 10 | (15.9) | |
Highest Level of Education | RN / BN | 47 | (74.6) |
Postgraduate | 15 | (23.8) | |
Job Title | RN | 49 | (77.8) |
CN / SDN | 13 | (20.6) | |
Post graduate in renal nursing | Yes | 20 | (31.7) |
No | 43 | (68.3) | |