The Acute Hemodialysis Unit provides renal replacement therapy 24 hours/day, seven days/week in the acute setting for a diverse population of patients in acute and end-stage renal failure. Patients receive dialysis services in the 16 bed dialysis unit and in other settings in the hospital, based on the patient's acuity and need for other supportive services.The Acute Hemodialysis Unit uses a multidisciplinary team, including physicians, nurses, technicians, dietician, social worker and vascular access nurses.
Dialysis services are provided by nurses trained to care for critically ill patients with renal failure and certified dialysis technicians specially trained to care for outpatients requiring hemodialysis. We are proud of the accomplishments of our staff that include:
. More than 50% of our nursing staff have bachelor's degrees and 13% have master's degrees.
. 13% of the nurses are certified in nephrology nursing and 100% of our Dialysis Technician II's are certified dialysis technicians.
. The unit is supported by a full-time MSW and dietician.

Community Outreach
Kidneys in the Classroom (KIC) is a program developed by dialysis nurses. This project started as a joint effort of two nurses in the Acute Dialysis Unit. The incidence of kidney disease is on the rise due to the increase in hypertension and diabetes. Many of their patients came to them with very little knowledge about their disease process and how it could lead to kidney failure. The nurses realized the importance of getting information out to people at an early age and decided to do something about it. They put together a program to present to high school students in the Richmond area and found a partner in the National Kidney Foundation. So it began. The program is filled with information, games and prizes, and interaction with health care professionals. Topics covered include diabetes, hypertension, kidney function, nutrition/obesity, and dialysis. The program has met with enthusiasm from school nurses and students. The goal is to educate the next generation and prevent kidney disease or prolong the time until dialysis starts.
Many staff volunteer for the Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP), a free health screening program offered by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) for individuals at increased risk of developing kidney disease.

Our Vision:
In pursuit of excellence in patient care the Acute Hemodialysis Team is committed to maximizing the knowledge, skills and abilities of all our doctors, nurses and technicians. We are committed to clinical competence, professional growth and on going quality improvements. Compassion, empathetic patient focused care is our central responsibility. We will develop and maintain a therapeutic nurse-patient-family relationship throughout the healthcare continuum.

For more information about kidney failure, see the links below.

 National Kidney Foundation

American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA)

Mid-Atlantic Renal Coalition