Why do you like to look after the dialysis patient?

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I was discussing this in the staff forum and I thought it would be fun to see if I am right

I love the renal pt but have you noticed they all have the same problems

1/ they believe their kidneys will kick back in someday

2/they can eat and drink what they like because dialysis removes it all

3/ it doesnt matter that they are prescibed 4 hours treatment they can cut the time when ever they want

4/there is always a pill to solve anything

5/ if there time on dialysis is 6am then god forbid they get on 10 mins late

6/they dont care if there is an emergency with one of their fellow pts if they want to be taken off then you better do it first

7/ it's ok for the pt to be late

8/ they have no clue why they have put 7kg's on in 2 days:uhoh3:

It makes pt education very easy but the message is never recieved ever

Ok I know there are well behaved renal pts it is just a little bit of fun to see if we all encounter the same issues

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Madwife - I think we need to look to what got most of the pts to dialysis: noncompliance with DM and HTN (the two biggest causes of renal failure in the US).

So, if you have noncompliant pts to begin with, doubt dialysis will make them compliant.

[ddunnrn]

I wonder how you would react/behave if you found yourself in that situation. Speaking as an RN who is also on dialysis, I hope your patients aren't sensitive enough to feel your lack of compassion.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I wonder how you would react/behave if you found yourself in that situation. Speaking as an RN who is also on dialysis, I hope your patients aren't sensitive enough to feel your lack of compassion.

My intent was not to offend! It was a light hearted look

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

I do not lack compassion. However, I feel that dialysis patients, like all patients have to take some responsibility for their own care.

I am sorry that you are on dialysis. It is a difficult life and I acknowledge that daily to my pts.

[Sandisue]

Working with nurses who take patients actions personally and make everything all about them, miss out on the beauty of nursing and can make it unpleasant for patients, as well as staff. You don't have to like something to accept it. I can never understand why some nurses attempt to control the behavior of other adults. What you do not see , is that your patients feel that you don't care, and they do not trust you. My best days in dialysis nursing are when, a patients truly begins to understand that 7-10 kg's on between each tx, is harmful to them. How do I know the light bulb comes on? they start to come in with less on. That's when you as a nurse have to opportunity to acknowledge that , and encourage that patient to keep up the good work. I am my patients biggest cheer leader! Some patients will never change, but that does not mean I stop trying to provide them with the information and the tool to change what they choose. You would be suprised what patients are willing to try, once they trust and believe that you want good things for them, and that you will respect them and support them in their decisions. Where the need is the greatest is where I can do the most good. That it why I work with this population of patients.