A patient arrives for dialysis with a pre-dialysis weight 4.7 kg above the last post-treatment weight. What action should the technician take next?

• A. Reweigh the patient and verify the weight discrepancy
• B. Notify the nurse of the need for assessment
• C. Begin dialysis as planned
• D. Decrease the dialysate temperature

Answer: (B)

A large inter-session fluid gain raises a safety flag and needs clinical assessment before continuing treatment. When a patient arrives with a pre-dialysis weight 4.7 kg higher than the last post-treatment weight, the technician should immediately notify the nurse so they can evaluate fluid status, review vital signs, lung sounds, edema, and recent intake, and determine whether this reflects true excess fluid, a measurement error, or a need to adjust the dry weight or ultrafiltration plan. Depending on the assessment, the team may modify ultrafiltration targets, postpone dialysis, or adjust the dry weight. Proceeding with dialysis without this nursing evaluation could risk fluid-related complications or hemodynamic instability, and changing dialysate temperature does not address the underlying issue. Reweighing can help confirm measurements, but the priority is nursing assessment.