My PD Setup: Standalone Workstation + Ready Service Locker

This bog entry addresses two aspects of our PD setup; what in the Navy is referred to as a “Ready Service Locker (RSL),” an area in which supplies that are to be used shortly and/or daily are stored usually in close proximity to where their end use takes place, and secondly, an added combination table/storage area that is used daily in preparation for hooking up to the Cycler.

First our RSL: We have adjacent to the Cycler and the Cycler prep area an Armoire in which we typically store linens. It has six divided sections in the top half which nicely house a week’s supply of 5L and 3L dextrose bags, and cassettes for the Cycler. As part of my morning disconnect from the Cycler, I breakout new dextrose bags and a new cassette and place on the Cycler for that night’s use. I don’t open the cassette plastic bag until evening when I set up the Cycler for that

Armoire

night’s run. See left picture.  In the picture to right you can see the supplies in the bottom four sections of our armoire.  Once a week, usually on Wednesday, our recycling day, I break out 3 or 4 boxes of 5L, one box of 3L 1.5 %, and one box of 3L 2.5 % solution along with seven cassettes and load the RSL. I have to fold the cassettes to get them into the armoire so I can close the doors which does not harm them in any way.

Combination Work and Storage Area adjacent to our armoire TSL and Cycler: 

We have a white cabinet from Wayfair that was originally intended to be used in a kitchen that has a natural wood-finish top, two drawers, a storage area to the top left and a paper towel holder to the right, four doors in the front and one shelf therein. I use the top area every night, twice, once to break out supplies to use to clean and administer to my stomach catheter after showering, and once to prepare to hook up to the Cycler at night.

The following will be detail-laden but is of upmost importance to those embarking on a dialysis journey – you have to have ready access to needed and/or required components of the treatment. For ready access on the top of the work area I have:

1. Face masks
2. Aniosgel Hand Sanitizing Gel Hands Rub (Used after a medical 2-minute wash of hands)
3. Alcaris 50 Disinfectant (used to disinfectant Cycler attachments)
4. A 2-minute timer (disinfecting Cycler attachments)
5. Storage for Q-tips and 2×2 gauze pads (Used to clean catheter area and Cycler attachments)
6. Plastic clothes pin (Used to hold 2×2 pads soaked in Alcaris on Cycler connection for 2-minutes)
7. Sanin cloth Bleach Wipes (Used to clean all work surfaces, Cycler and Cycler stand)
8. Paper towels (Used to clean and dry surfaces)
9. LED light (Used to enable viewing of work surface at night before bed)
10. Daily log sheet (Used to scribe and transcribe required biometric data to Cycler after treatment)
11. Paper tape (Used to secure tubing to stomach after hooking up to the Cycler)

Stored in the cabinets I have:

1. stay*safe caps (One used each day to seal off catheter upon disconnection from Cycler)
2. Dental towels (Used to prevent bleach from bleaching clothes)
3. Blood pressure apparatus
4. Heater blanket (Used to heat Dextrose bags for manual dialysis)
5. Gentamlcin Cream (Used on catheter-stomach access every night after showering)
6. 13-Gal kitchen trash bags (used to dispose of all dialysis waste products)
7. Extra paper towels
8. Kleenex
9. Backup/clean tubing lanyard (discussed in a subsequent blog)
10. Band-Aid 2×2 small, padded gauze pads (Used after shower to dress catheter access)
11. Alcohol prep pads (clean tubing etc)
12. 3M Micropore paper tape (Used for catheter dressing and tubing restraints)
13. Ready Locker 2×2 pads (used after showering for catheter access dressing and pre-cycler tubing fitting sterilizing)

The next bog entry will address the area in our Master Bath used to prepare for showering, post shower catheter administrations, and pre-cycler hookup prep.