Getting Fluid Samples From Your PD bag

• Masks
• Blue pad (Chux)
• Alcavis
• Sterile 4x4 gauze – 4 packs
• Effluent bag
• Minicap caps (2)
• Hand sanitizer

1. Wash your hands and gather supplies.
2. Put on a mask and gel your hands.
3. Have everyone in the room mask up.
4. Ensure doors and windows are closed and fans are off.
5. Access the PD catheter (remove it from the belt).
6. Open two packages of 4 x 4 gauze but do not touch the gauze yet.
7. Pour or spray Alcavis onto both gauze.
8. Open Minicap to have it ready.
9. Place blue pad under catheter.
10. Gel hands and put on gloves.
11. Pick up one saturated gauze. Scrub the end of the transfer set with Alcavis soaked gauze for 1 minute and then use the other Alcavis soaked gauze and wrap the catheter end for 1 minute.
12. Do hand hygiene and put on new gloves.
13. Hold the transfer set and remove the Minicap.
14. Attach the effluent sample bag to the PD catheter and open the twist clamp. Be careful not to contaminate.
15. Allow at least 50 mL to drain into the bag or at least until the bag gets half filled.
16. Close the twist clamp on the transfer set and close the clamp on the effluent bag.
17. Do hand hygiene and put on new gloves.
18. Open 2 new packages of gauze.
19. Pour or spray Alcavis on both pieces of gauze. Scrub PD catheter for 1 minute with one saturated gauze. Take the other saturated gauze and wrap the catheter end for 1 minute.
20. Do hand hygiene and put on new gloves.
21. Disconnect the effluent bag, put a new Minicap on the effluent bag.
22. Place the new Minicap on the end of the transfer set.
23. Write your child’s name on the effluent bag label and take it to the designated lab.

• Gloves
• Masks
• Sterile specimen cup

To get a fluid sample your child must be in initial drain, the fluid appears to be cloudy during the initial drain, and your child must have had a dwell of at least 2 hours before going to the drain part of the cycle.

1. Once in the drain, press “STOP.”
2. Gather supplies.
3. Put on a mask.
4. Wash or gel your hands.
5. Put on gloves.
6. Open a sterile specimen cup and set the lid down with the inside facing up.
7. Grab the pigtail port on the drain line.
8. Fold the drain line below the pigtail port into the palm of your hand.
9. Remove the cap on the pigtail port.
10. Hold the port over the top of the specimen cup without touching it to the inside of the cup.
11. With your other hand, press “GO” on the cycler.
12. Let the fluid drain into the cup, pulsate once.
13. Press “STOP,” clamp the drain line pigtail port and let go of the drain line.
14. Press “GO” to resume therapy.
15. Put the lid on top of the specimen cup.
16. Write your child’s name on the label and take it to the designated lab.

• Sterile specimen cups (1 for each drain bag plus 1 extra)
• Gloves
• Drain bag(s) from dialysis

1. Gather supplies. Collect sample at the end of dialysis cycle.
2. Remove the lid from the specimen cup to have it ready.
3. Put on gloves.
4. Agitate the solution in the drain bag.
5. Open the access/drain port clamp (the larger clamp) and drain into the specimen cup until the cup is about ½ full, then re-clamp.
6. Place the lid on specimen cup and tighten securely.
7. Bring the specimen cup to your child’s clinic visit and give to your nurse. If submitting to your local lab, please label specimen cup.

If you have 2 drain bags:
You will need 3 specimen cups. 1 specimen cup for each drain bag and a 3rd cup to combine the samples from each of the drain bags. The 3rd cup should be filled half full of equal parts from each drain bag.