CRRT Checklist: Initiation, Maintenance and Termination

CRRT Checklist: Initiation, Maintenance and Termination

A Bedside Manual for Intensivists, Nephrologists, and Critical Care Nurses

CRRT goes wrong in the gaps between steps — the priming shortcut, the missed monitoring target, the alarm nobody troubleshoots systematically. This manual removes the guesswork by turning the entire CRRT journey into clear, checklist-driven actions, so nothing high-stakes depends on memory under pressure. It’s built to be read at the bedside, not the desk.

What’s inside

• Pre-initiation assessment & modality selection — decide who, when, and which mode before touching the machine
• 46-step procedural chapter — circuit mounting, priming, de-airing, and patient connection, fully sequenced
• 23 anticipated troubleshooting scenarios — problems mapped to fixes before they happen
• Anticoagulation strategies — laid out for real circuit management, not just theory
• Daily maintenance monitoring — the checks that keep a circuit running and a patient safe
• Alarm & circuit-failure troubleshooting — systematic responses that cut cognitive load
• Safe termination protocol — the ending done right, not rushed
• Evidence base built in — 42 Vancouver-numbered citations from ATN, RENAL, RICH, IDEAL-ICU, and AKIKI, aligned with KDIGO 2012

Educational reference only — always follow your unit’s local protocols and manufacturer guidance.

By Dr. Gunadhar Padhi — Chief Intensivist, MD, IDCCM, FCCCM, ECMO (Paris); author of the EDIC preparation series.