Something as simple as a milk bottle lid could save a dialysis patient from a catastrophic bleed.
Many renal nurses know of a patient who has died from a bleed.
An operation is needed to make an arteriovenous fistula, joining an artery and a vein, to aid dialysis access.
If this dialysis fistula ruptures, it can quickly lead to a life-threatening bleed.
With 80 per cent of ruptured fistula bleeds happening outside the dialysis unit, the Canberra Health Services Renal Network team have rolled out a new initiative called Stop the Bleed - Use a Lid.
"We had a patient die because their fistula ruptured at home and they didn't know what to do," Mary Bodilson from the Renal Network said.
The family of the late patient did not want any other families to lose a loved one to a fistula rupture so they urged they health services to find a solution for the out-of-control bleeding.
"Our vascular surgeon suggested we use this lid initiative which started in the UK," Ms Bodilson said.
With just a lid pressed down on the bleeding area dialysis patients can stop the bleeding.
Since the rollout of the initiative, two patients have used the lids which were donated by Canberra Milk.
Once the bleeding starts, all a dialysis patient needs to do is press firmly on the affected area with a bottle lid with the hallow side down.
The Renal Network team recommend a milk bottle lid. The initiative has already been rolled out in the ACT and emergency services have helped patients with the simple procedure.
Renal nurse Imogen Petty administered the method to a patient whose fistula started bleeding after a dialysis treatment.
"One of our patients had just finished receiving treatment, and their fistula started bleeding," she said
Ms Petty tried to stop the patient's bleeding with a pressure gauze, to no effect, and then decided to apply the lid. "We placed the lid on their arm, created a seal and we were able to stop the bleed and create a clot," she said.
Paramedics have also been trained to administer the procedure and so will carry lids with them.
Ms Petty said the procedure was a simple task and anyone could do it themselves while they waited for emergency services to arrive.
"The main message that I want to get across to my patients is that if your're worried about your fistula bleeding too much please apply a lid," she said.
"If it is a catastrophic bleed then it is a life and death situation, so you need to apply a lid."
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