Do you use access clamps? If so, do you have a set procedure? Have you collected any data to ensure that they do not contribute to clotting of the access?

Clamps are bad things.

Use clamps selectively. Never use them on a patients with low b/p or someone who has an artegraft. (The bovine graft) They save staff time and free a patient's hands who cramp. Sometimes they are a necessity

I recently had a baseline fistula gram done. The technician gave me some tips to prolong the use of my fistula. He said NEVER use clamps, and hold one site at a time.

Like I said, CLAMPS ARE BAD THINGS.

Unless you are a vascular surgeon that creates fistulas or grafts for hemodialysis access. Then clamps are a good thing. They are a sure way to maintain a steady stream of repeat customers !

Ideally never use clamps.... Realistically they are used to free up the staff to clean the machine ,set-up the machine,cannulate the next patient,etc etc etc

At my old unit they used these blue clamps that sort of clipped on. At my current unit, they use white things that tightly wrap around the arm. Its pathetic that the doctors and staff would do harm like this to unassuming patients.

I have an upper arm a/v fistula. The tech. who tested the flow told me to never use clamps of any kind. I was also told it is better to hold one site at a time. I can only do that anyway because if I try to hold both sites the arterial one invariably leaks/spurts all over anyway.
The vascular surgeon who created the fistula also instructed me to not use any clamps. I don't entirely understand the medical reasoning behind it but if someone who is knowledgable was kind enough to give me that advice, I'm going to follow it. I don't really have any other good options for an access so I have to do all that I can to preserve the access I have, at least until a better type of access comes along. Lin.

Clamps are not necessarily a bad thing. The spring loaded clamps actually exert a steady pressure on the access site. Usually less than what a patient would hold it at. The only question then is to not leave it on for too long a period of time.

Clamps are not neccessarily a bad thing. The ones with the spring will hold a constant pressure. When holding your site yourself you are probably holding at a higher pressure than the clamp. Then the only issue is how long the clamp is left on.