Hemodialysis - Water Treatment – Questions &
Answers
COMPONENTS OF THE TYPICAL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR
HEMODIALYSIS Correct Ans - Backflow Preventer
Blending Valve
Sediment Filter
Water Softener
Carbon Tanks
Reverse Osmosis Machine
Holding Tank
Deionization Tanks
Pyrogen Filter (aka Ultrafilter)
BACKFLOW PREVENTER Correct Ans - helps prevent disinfectants
and pretreated water from flowing back into the city or municipal water
supply
BLENDING VALVE Correct Ans - used to mix hot and cold water so
that it reaches the temperature range that allows the RO machine to
function most efficiently
SEDIMENT FILTER Correct Ans - removes suspended material such
as dirt, sale, and carbon fines from the water coming into the facility from
the municipal water system (referred to as "feed water")
WATER SOFTENER Correct Ans - removes calcium and magnesium
from the incoming water
CARBON TANKS Correct Ans - removes chlorine and chloramines
from the water
REVERSE OSMOSIS MACHINE (RO) Correct Ans - the primary water
purification device used, it removes most organic and inorganic
contaminants
HOLDING TANK Correct Ans - used by some clinics to provide
water during peak periods of usage
, DEIONIZATION TANKS Correct Ans - placed after the RO machine,
they remove chemical contaminants but do not remove microbial
contaminants
they are used as either:
*a backup for purifying the water in case the RO unit malfunctions
*on a continuous basis in situations where the level of contaminants in the
incoming water exceeds the ability of the RO to remove impurities to
acceptable levels
PYROGEN FILTER (aka ULTRAFILTER) Correct Ans - the last filter
the water runs through
capable of removing all particles down to .05 microns, this includes viruses,
bacteria, and most endotoxins
Hemodialysis patients are exposed to almost _____ the amount of water than
people who are not on dialysis. Correct Ans - 10 times
In the early years of dialysis, water straight from ordinary faucets (tap
water), was used in the _____. Correct Ans - dialysis process
The normally occurring contaminants in tap caused numerous medical
complications, including: Correct Ans - aluminum toxicity
dementia
fluoride/chloramine poisoning
hard water syndrome
The _____ sub-committee published usage guidelines for the water used in
the dialysis process. Correct Ans - AAMI (Association for the
Advancement of Medical Instrumentation)
Monitoring and maintaining a water treatment system is the responsibility
of facility teammates Correct Ans - who have been trained and had
their skills verified.
Dialysis quality water is used to: Correct Ans - *make reprocessing
solutions used to clean & sterilize dialyzers
*reprocess dialyzers
Answers
COMPONENTS OF THE TYPICAL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM FOR
HEMODIALYSIS Correct Ans - Backflow Preventer
Blending Valve
Sediment Filter
Water Softener
Carbon Tanks
Reverse Osmosis Machine
Holding Tank
Deionization Tanks
Pyrogen Filter (aka Ultrafilter)
BACKFLOW PREVENTER Correct Ans - helps prevent disinfectants
and pretreated water from flowing back into the city or municipal water
supply
BLENDING VALVE Correct Ans - used to mix hot and cold water so
that it reaches the temperature range that allows the RO machine to
function most efficiently
SEDIMENT FILTER Correct Ans - removes suspended material such
as dirt, sale, and carbon fines from the water coming into the facility from
the municipal water system (referred to as "feed water")
WATER SOFTENER Correct Ans - removes calcium and magnesium
from the incoming water
CARBON TANKS Correct Ans - removes chlorine and chloramines
from the water
REVERSE OSMOSIS MACHINE (RO) Correct Ans - the primary water
purification device used, it removes most organic and inorganic
contaminants
HOLDING TANK Correct Ans - used by some clinics to provide
water during peak periods of usage
, DEIONIZATION TANKS Correct Ans - placed after the RO machine,
they remove chemical contaminants but do not remove microbial
contaminants
they are used as either:
*a backup for purifying the water in case the RO unit malfunctions
*on a continuous basis in situations where the level of contaminants in the
incoming water exceeds the ability of the RO to remove impurities to
acceptable levels
PYROGEN FILTER (aka ULTRAFILTER) Correct Ans - the last filter
the water runs through
capable of removing all particles down to .05 microns, this includes viruses,
bacteria, and most endotoxins
Hemodialysis patients are exposed to almost _____ the amount of water than
people who are not on dialysis. Correct Ans - 10 times
In the early years of dialysis, water straight from ordinary faucets (tap
water), was used in the _____. Correct Ans - dialysis process
The normally occurring contaminants in tap caused numerous medical
complications, including: Correct Ans - aluminum toxicity
dementia
fluoride/chloramine poisoning
hard water syndrome
The _____ sub-committee published usage guidelines for the water used in
the dialysis process. Correct Ans - AAMI (Association for the
Advancement of Medical Instrumentation)
Monitoring and maintaining a water treatment system is the responsibility
of facility teammates Correct Ans - who have been trained and had
their skills verified.
Dialysis quality water is used to: Correct Ans - *make reprocessing
solutions used to clean & sterilize dialyzers
*reprocess dialyzers
