Dialysis Registered Nursing Care at Home

Why Do You Need Dialysis?

Our kidneys ensure that harmful wastes, extra water, and salts are removed from our bodies and maintain optimum levels of our blood pressure by managing chemicals like potassium and salt. The kidneys also help in the creation of red blood cells that prevent anaemia. However, when the kidneys stop functioning properly due to reasons like chronic kidney failure, etc. these waste products and excess fluids can build up to dangerous levels in your body and eventually turn fatal. Treatments like dialysis help in taking over these functions of the kidneys and avoid these complications. 

Signs That You Need a Dialysis

Dialysis is required when you suffer from chronic kidney disease that steadily progresses over time. Caused due to high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases, and age-related factors, this is a serious complication that has life-threatening implications. The initial stages of kidney disease don’t show any symptoms. They start occurring as the disease progresses. Some of the common signs that show that your kidneys have begun to fail include the following:

• When you experience constant and overwhelming levels of fatigue. 
• Swelling in face, feet, and hands. 
• Itchy skin.
• Inability to focus on things. 
• Constant shortness of breath. 
• Feeling cold even when your surroundings are warm.
• Feeling dizzy and faint.
• Aversion to proteins, especially meats. 
• Loss of appetite.
• Tasting ‘metal’ in your mouth.
• Constant nausea and vomiting. 
• Muscular cramps and twitching. 
• High blood pressure.
• Heaviness, pressure, or pain in the chest.

How Does Dialysis Work and What Are Its Types?

This treatment mirrors the work of the kidneys and helps in removing excess fluids and harmful waste products from your body restores the body’s electrolyte levels, and helps in controlling high blood pressure. There are two options of dialysis:

• Hemodialysis: In this type, an artificial kidney (dialyser) is used to remove wastes and excess chemicals from the blood. Your blood travels through a plastic tube into this dialyser through two needles placed in your access, cleaned, and returned to your body. 

• Peritoneal: In this type, the blood is cleaned inside the body. The doctor places a catheter inside your body that slowly fills the abdominal area with dialysate. Extra fluids and wastes are drained into this catheter and drawn out of the body. 

Can Dialysis Be Done at Home?

Dialysis can be at a medical centre, hospital, or nursing home where the dialysis nurse will perform the treatment. This is generally done around three to four times a week and each session lasts for about three to five hours. 

Many patients opt for this treatment in the convenience of their homes by signing up for personalised dialysis nursing services. Both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis can be done at home, albeit with different techniques. Even when this treatment is done at home, the patient depends on the dialysis nurse to plan, administer, and get the maximum benefit from each session. This is extremely critical since dialysis is a daily treatment and cannot be avoided even for a single day. 

To make your home dialysis program work, your doctor will ask you to have a care partner who will be there with you as long as your sessions last. This care partner can initially be a hemodialysis nurse who trains one of your family members or friends, who can then take over from her. 

There are several nursing considerations for dialysis patients that need to be taken care of during home treatment. These include:

• Review the patient’s home settings to create a makeshift dialysis corner in case of haemodialysis treatment.
• Educate her/him about the treatment, ways to administer it, and how to maintain safety while doing so.
• Train and teach the patient and the care partner how to perform the dialysis at home effectively.
• Training about the schedule that the patient needs to follow and the technique that she/he should follow. 
• Evaluate if the patient and the care partner have actually understood the procedure and their capabilities in administering the treatment.
• Assessing the condition of the patient and check for fluctuations, if any. 
• Help the patient cope up with the treatment. 
• Train the patient on how to avoid infections while doing this treatment at home.
• Educate about the changes in the daily routine, diet, and lifestyle that the patient would be required to make during the treatment.
• Check for the patient’s vital signs and asking them to elucidate their condition. 
• Briefing the patient about his condition transparently and suggesting the need for further treatments. 
• Answering the patient’s questions to their satisfaction. 
• Review the patient’s condition and report to the doctor about changes if any. 

How Does Onsite Dialysis Actually Work?

The emergence of onsite dialysis facilities has been a boon for patients. Onsite dialysis i.e. dialysis done at the patient’s home does away with the need to reschedule one’s work or personal schedule since the travelling time to the hospital or the nursing home is saved. These facilities also help in managing the nerves of the patients by keeping them calm and comfortable in their personalised home settings. 

How Can Portea Help You?

Portea, one of the most credible names amongst the home healthcare companies in India, offers highly qualified and experienced dialysis nurses to help you get the best healthcare for yourself. Often credited as one of the most skilled nursing facilities with onsite dialysis in the country, you can expect the best of home dialysis from Portea in ways like:

• Our nurses and staff are highly professional and experienced and are perfectly equipped to take over your dialysis needs and act as a bridge between you and your doctor.
• They answer all your questions pertaining to your treatment, its daily administration, and outlook.
• They also act as counsellers and offer emotional support to the patient and her/his family. 
• We take over the entire administration and management of your dialysis treatment, leaving you with no cause for worry. 
• The home dialysis plan for every patient is customised keeping in mind her/his needs, availability of the care partner, and the home setting.
• Portea answers all your questions and offers end-to-end training of the treatment. 
• Our home care nursing facilities are usually more economically priced than nursing homes, medical centres, and hospitals. This is especially beneficial if your dialysis is a long-term treatment. 
• We use the latest dialysis technology and equipment to offer you the best healthcare benefits in the shortest possible time. 
• Our nurses go much beyond than being medical partners. They also offer support for the patient’s nutrition, exercise routine, and any other requirements that may arise from time to time.