International nursing practice in preparing patients for dialysis

Abstract

This article presents a literature review on the need of preparation patients who has terminal stage of chronic renal failure for the renal replacement therapy - dialysis, and the nurse’s role in the pre-dialysis education for these patients and for their relatives. Annually more than 2.5 million people around the world receive dialysis because they have chronic renal failure. Dialysis is a vital procedure. This is explained by the fact that the artificial kidney apparatus helps to purify human blood from toxins and remove excess fluid from the body, that is, it performs the physiological work of the kidneys when they themselves cannot cope with this problem. Chronic renal failure and dialysis procedures are quite serious difficulties for both the patients and their families. First, it depends on the misinformation or complete lack of information of patients, acceptance of the need for lifestyle changes for the whole family, as well as adaptation to the new day regimen and nutrition, etc. In this difficult period, patients and their families need moral support, as well as in obtaining reliable information that, they need to quickly adapt to new living conditions, which, in turn, contributes to the effectiveness of renal replacement therapy. The nurses are the important actors in the pre-dialysis education of patients. In such situations, one of the most important aspects is to organize the proper care of patients and to ensure compliance with the basic life rules - drinking restriction, dieting, and care for vascular access and so on. This is all are different aspects of caring for such patients. Therefore, the nurse contributes to improving the patients’ quality of life by educating and supporting of completely patient is family. A nurse can have different roles i.e. a mentor, a teacher or a coordinator who always can help all of them by providing all the necessary information.