Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effect of stage-matched nursing intervention (SMNI) in the care of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) in the elderly patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). Methods A total of 212 patients undergoing MHD in Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital were enrolled and randomly divided into control group (n=106) and observation group (n=106). The control group was treated with routine AVF nursing, while the observation group was treated with SMNI. Each patient was observed for 6 months, and the behavioral compliance rate and the incidence of AVF complications were recorded and compared. Results After 6 months of intervention, the proportion of patients in the pre-intentional stage, intentional stage, and preparatory stage of AVF self-care behaviors was significantly lower and the proportion of them in the action phase and maintenance phase was significantly higher in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.05). The self-care ability score of the observation group was significantly higher and the total incidence rate of AVF complications was significantly lower (13.21% vs 35.85%) in the observation group than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusions Application of SMNI in MHD patients can significantly improve the quality of AVF nursing, modify the behavior of the MHD patients and reduce the incidence of AVF complications.

Key words: hemodialysis, arteriovenous fistula care, stage-matched nursing, complications