Skin of Dialysis patients

[fotografe]

I am a CNA/nursing student and was caring for a very dark skinned Haitian patient on dialysis. As I was giving her a bed bath, I was horrified to see how dirty the washcloth was each time a rubbed her skin. I was sure no one had bathed her in a very long time. The RN told me it may, in fact, just be that her skin is peeling due to the dialysis. Does this sound feasible? The RN was reporting the possibility that the woman was indeed not bathed, but I wondered what those who care for these patients on a daily basis experience.

[fotografe]

I am bumping this becasue I would really like to know the anwer. Anyone?

[s9283]

When people need dialysis there kidneys are not able to excrete the waste that there body produces and it builds up in the blood. This is called uremia (urine in the blood). When these levels are very elevated in the blood it comes through the skin causing a frost. That could have possibly been what you were seeing on the wash cloth. It also cause very itchy skin that can appear tan/yellowish. I hope this helps with your question.

[diabo, RN]

This lady may have really needed a bath, but what appeared to be dirt on your washcloth could have been the black skin that was sluffing off. Some of the darker races' skin will turn darker after they have been in renal failure for a while. Dialysis isn't the cause of the skin peeling; they got no kidneys, and that's a big problem.

Steve