Renal care: six essentials for a haemodialysis patient

Once the filtration rate of the kidney falls below 10 ml/minute a patient will require haemodialysis treatment sessions typically three times per week to remove waste products and excess fluids. Due to the obvious change in life circumstances the patient will require clinical intervention and usually quality psychosocial support. Therefore, several areas have to be included in the nursing care plan to provide a complete treatment strategy. Access to the blood is provided through a surgically created access and this must be monitored regularly for adequate function and signs of infection. With little or no renal function fluid will accumulate in the body and there are a number of clinical signs that need to be recognized that are involved in determining the patient's correct hydration status. The interpretation of routine observations such as weight and blood pressure is vital to the fluid removal strategy and antihypertensive drug therapy. The patient's diet should also be carefully controlled avoiding foods with high sodium, potassium and phosphate content while ensuring adequate protein intake and vitamin supplement where necessary. Most patients require several or more medications throughout their life on haemodialysis and this requires a well-organized care plan for medication administration.