Organization and development of a pediatric end stage renal disease teaching protocol for peritoneal dialysis

Peritoneal dialysis is one of the treatments for end stage renal disease that requires considerable expertise. When neonates or children develop end stage renal disease, both the patient and family members must be provided with substantial education and training. The organization of education and training is paramount, especially as length of stay is limited with managed care. The development of an organized interdisciplinary approach for this instruction and pediatric patient teaching protocol for management of home peritoneal dialysis therapy is discussed in this article. The protocol provides learning content, methodologies and patient/family outcomes and is accompanied by a documentation tool that serves as communication for directing team member reinforcement of content until outcomes are met. Since completion of the protocol, eight pediatric patients have been placed on this teaching plan with extremely positive outcomes.