“To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe.” – Marilyn Vos Savant. Observation is the key to acquiring wisdom. By being inquisitive we realize that we have so much to learn from others. I was able to do just that. I had the opportunity to learn about hemodialysis from a nurse that’s been working in dialysis for over twenty years. He taught me the responsibilities and roles of the medical team, what can be delegated to the nurse support staff, explained the skills and training needed to work as a dialysis nurse, the priorities in dialysis, stressors for patients and nursing staff, the various types and functions of hemodialysis equipment, and general nursing diagnoses to be aware of for hemodialysis patients.
Each member of the dialysis team plays an important role on the dialysis unit. Before a patient can be prepped for dialysis the lab must process the morning blood work of each dialysis patient and make sure the doctor has the results before treatment begins. The doctor then writes an individualized dialysis order for each patient. The doctor calculates the rate of filtration and amount of fluid that needs to be pulled off of the patient in order to reach the patient’s comfortable dry weight. A certified dialysis technician assists the RN to prep the patient for the dialysis treatment. Then finally the nurse can begin individualized dialysis for their patients.
The role of the RN is a vital one. They start by getting beside report on the patient from the unit the patient stays on. If the patient is new to dialysis the RN is responsible for teaching the patient about the dialysis procedure and to therapeutically communicate to ensure the patient is well informed and comfortable. After i...
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...s him susceptible to infection if the right precautions are not followed. Patient number three was a 53 year old woman with an admitting diagnosis of renal failure. Patient had signs of edema which is indicative of excess fluid volume related to her compromised regulatory mechanism (renal failure) as evidenced by pitting edema on lower extremities and abnormal electrolyte lab levels.
Overall hemodialysis is a very in depth process and requires the medical team to always be ready for a quick change in patient health status. The team must pay close attention to detail and monitor patients very closely while using the proper infection control protocols. Every team member has to be able to effectively communicate with each other as well as their patients. They also have be knowledgeable to prevent any patient knowledge deficit that may come with dialysis treatments.
The nature of the work is very similar for the C.N.A. and L.P.N. A C.N.A. work includes performing routine tasks under the supervision of nursing staff. They answer call bells, deliver messages, serve meals, make beds, and help patients eat, dress, and bathe. Aides also provide skin care to patients, take pulse, temperature, respiration, and blood pressure and help patients get in and out of bed and walk. They also escort patients to operating rooms, exam rooms, keep patient rooms neat, set up equipment, or store and move supplies. Aides observe patient’s physical, mental, and emotional condition and report any change to the R.N. Likewise the L.P.N. provides basic bedside care. They take vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, restorations, and pulse. They also treat bedsores, prepare and give injections and enemas, apply dressings, apply ice packs and insert catheters. L.P.N.’s observe patients and report adverse reactions to medications or treatments to the R.N. or the doctor. They help patients with bathing, dressing, and personal hygiene, and care for their emotional needs.
and giving medicine and IVs. A RN makes sure the patient has knowledge of their situation and
A team led by RN, should mentally prepare their patients to understand their responsibility towards good health. This can be done by showing them special documentaries during their stay in the hospital, in a common room where other patients can also join them in a group of six to twelve. After the session, patients should be given a short comments form with multiple choice answers (Appendix A). The purpose is to check their positivity towards the message conveyed through the documentary. At this time patient's vitals should be checked and recorded for the future
J.P., a 58 year old female, presents to the Emergency Room on March 18th. She has a past medical history of cervical cancer, atheroembolism of the left lower extremity, fistula of the vagina, peripheral vascular disease, neuropathy, glaucoma, GERD, depression, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and sickle cell anemia. She complains of right lower extremity pain accompanied by fatigue, a decreased appetite, increased work of breathing, burning urination, and decreased urine output for three days. Upon admission, a complete physical assessment was performed along with a blood and metabolic panel. The assessment revealed many positive and negative findings.
To begin with, the NE and NP roles involves direct patient care. Hence, they must possess competence in the nurse - patient relationship by attending to the patient’s responses to changes in health status and care. Just like the NE, the NP creates a climate of mutual
Currently there are two types of renal replacement therapy. The original dialysis which we called it hemodialysis used for patients with chronic renal failure, needs the patients to come to hospital 2-3 times per week. This type of dialysis called the intermittent hemodialysis .However the intermittent hemodialysis is difficult to do it in the intensive care population with acute renal failure because of the hemodynamic instability and those type of patients usually are the most sick and critically ill patients within the intensive care units and have multiorgan dysfunctions, so medically is too difficult to do for them intermittent hemodialysis. In addition intermittent hemodialysis will increase the mortality and morbidity among them. Within the modern intensive care units new way of dialysis has been developed 30 years ago called continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT).The definition of (CRRT) is any extracorporeal blood purification therapy intended to substitute for impaired renal function over an extended period of time and applied for or aimed at being applied for 24 hours/day, Bellomo R., Ronco., Mehata R. The CRRT was found because the traditional way of ...
Quinan, P. (2007). Control and coping for individuals with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis: A position paper. CANNT Journal, 17(3), 77-84.
Hemodialysis is a procedure that cleans and filters your blood. It rids your body of harmful wastes and extra salt and fluids. It also controls blood pressure and helps your body keep the proper balance of chemicals such as potassium, sodium, and chloride.
Everyday in this world, elderly, adults, teens or children become ill or get into accidents and need medical attention. Whether these elderly, adults, teens or children are taken to a hospital, pediatrician, specialist, or clinic, a doctor and a nurse will tend to them. The nurse plays a role that is just as important as the doctor. Nurses work very closely with the families as part of the caring process. Every member of the family plays a role in different ways. The nurses are there to help the patient as well as the family step through the illness or injury. They provide information for the prevention of future illness and injury, and help to comfort the patient and his/her family. It is vital that a nurse understands that to be a nurse, you need a certain personality and understanding of the field.
-The patient was having pitting edema and inspiratory rales because the increase of sodium caused an increase of fluid in the vascular system and lungs.
Working in the health care setting, teamwork and collaboration are used frequently to insure that everything runs correctly and efficiently. According to qsen.org, teamwork and collaboration consists of functioning effectively within nursing and inter-professional teams, fostering open communication, mutual respect, and shared decision-making to achieve quality patient care. While assessing the patient a nurse can come into contact and work with many different individuals. These can include other nurses, doctors, therapists, and family
On these occasions, I rely on my nursing assessment, evaluation, and interventions, collaborative skills, and scientific knowledge to make sound clinical judgments for the benefit of my patients. As a hemodialysis nurse, I will persevere to comply with innovation in nursing practice, EBP, research, and education. I believe growth requires generation of innovative, improved ideas and practices for the betterment of the organization and patient satisfaction. For this reason, I will embrace technological advancements; empower front line staff to embrace change and innovation; and motivate staff to be change agents on the floor with the aim to provide better quality of care for our
Kidney Function Introduction and definition of terms: The kidneys are the main organs in the urinary system. They filter waste products out of blood from the renal artery. These are then excreted. Useful solutes are reabsorbed into the blood. They also have a major homeostatic role in the body, and help to control the water content (osmoregulation) and pH of the blood.
“I am a nurse. I made it. I really just made it!”. Shortly after getting my nursing license, I spent hours and hours submitting and resubmitting my resume to dialysis companies. To my surprise, my persistence paid off, and I began my journey as a hemodialysis (HD) nurse in 2015. Many times, conversations with other nurses from different specialties consist of questions such as, “Why are you a dialysis nurse? Isn’t it like retirement job” “Isn’t it boring?” “Don’t you want to get yourself involved in something else before this?” or “You’re too young to settle!”. Contrary to what others believe of hemodialysis nursing, it has been a fulfilling career. After each treatment, I go home knowing that I made a difference in a patient’s life. It is
hospital staff to ensure patient has the best possible outcome, setting up plan for patient care and