[Patients' need for information in self-dialysis]

The purpose of the study was to examine self-dialysis patients' need for information at different stages of the dialytic treatment, to find out the most efficient method to give information and to examine the patient's idea of the best communicator. The data were collected by the theme interview of 30 patients performing self-dialysis. Content analysis was the method used in analysing the data and in the presentation of the results both qualitative and quantitative representations are used. The self-dialysis patients felt that they needed information on the cause of their basic disorder. Of the information given before the dialytic treatment they were most interested in the technical and nutritional aspects of the treatment. During the dialytic treatment, information was wanted on hygiene, as well as further information on the technical and nutritional aspects. Information on the post-transplantation treatment was found especially important. The patients wanted the information mainly to be told to them by the physician, only during treatment the information was wanted from the nurse.