What is a critical step to take during a major blood leak?

During a major blood leak, stopping treatment is crucial to prevent further complications and ensure the patient's safety. When a blood leak occurs, it indicates that there is a break or failure in the dialysis system, which can lead to a significant loss of blood and compromise the patient's hemodynamic status.

Stopping treatment immediately allows the healthcare team to assess the situation, minimize blood loss, and take appropriate measures to address the leak. This may involve disconnecting the patient from the dialysis machine, containing blood loss, and evaluating the source of the leak to prevent additional risks.

While notifying the physician is also an important action to take in such situations, it typically follows the immediate step of stopping the treatment to protect the patient. Continuing to infuse fluids or changing the dialyzer would not adequately address the urgency of the situation; both options could exacerbate the risk of blood loss and related complications. Therefore, stopping treatment is the most critical initial response in the event of a major blood leak.