Use of the Ultrasound in Hemodialysis

Nursing professionals have expanded knowledge and competencies in the last years reaching senior positions in healthcare systems. One of the competences acquired is the use of the ultrasound (US) in many areas of nursing. Regarding the vascular access (VA) for hemodialysis (HD), US has become an essential tool in daily practice as it makes a huge difference in the quality of vascular access care in HD. Nurses are the professionals who manage the vascular access of HD patients and should use every useful tool to improve its survival. There are many applications of the US in VA described in this chapter such as mapping, surveillance, or cannulation. The different techniques used with ultrasound-guided cannulation are analyzed, as well as their pros and cons.