Final answer:
If the dialysate flow stops during dialysis, the patient's blood is no longer getting cleaned, as waste removal is contingent on the continuous flow of the dialysate.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the dialysate flow stops during dialysis, the patient's blood is no longer being cleaned of waste products and excess water. The correct answer to what happens when the dialysate flow stops during dialysis is D. The patient's blood is no longer getting cleaned. During hemodialysis, blood is passed through a semipermeable membrane immersed in dialysate. The dialysate contains the correct balance of electrolytes and glucose to create the necessary osmotic pressure which, in turn, facilitates the movement of wastes like urea from the blood into the dialysate. If this flow stops, waste materials and water cannot be removed from the blood, and the dialysis process is effectively paused, which can be harmful to the patient as the intent of the procedure is to continuously remove these waste products due to their kidneys not being able to do so.