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Goal: To provide an overview of clients' vulnerability as based on their body awareness, dependency, mistrust of the healthcare system and providers, and stigma, as the result of their fistula.

Objectives:

Explain the purpose and care of a fistula in hemodialysis treatment.
Discuss how clients may feel vulnerable as the result of having a fistula, based on the results of this study.
Identify examples of how clients may elicit feelings of dependency, mistrust, and poor physical self-esteem by having a fistula.
Describe how nephrology nurses can assist clients who are on hemodialysis and requiring a fistula with their feelings of vulnerability.

Note: This project was supported by grant number 1R36 HS010826 from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Speros Martel Endowment for the Aging and The University of Texas School of Nursing at Houston Center on Aging. Cleo Richard received the funding.

Statement of Disclosure: The authors reported no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this continuing nursing education article.

Joan Engebretson DrPH, AHN-BC, RN

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