Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience and is the most common symptom experienced by renal patients. It can be caused by primary co-morbid diseases, renal replacement therapies, medication or treatment side effects, and its intensity varies from moderate to severe. Pain management in renal patients is difficult, since the distance between pain relief and toxicity is very small. This paper will provide an algorithm for pain management proposed using paracetamol, nonsteroid anti-inflamatory drugs (NSAIDs), mild and stronger opioids as well as complementary techniques. Quality of Life (QoL) and overall enhancement of the patient experience through better pain management are also discussed. To improve pain management it is essential that nurses recognise that they have direct responsibilities related to pain assessment and tailoring of opioid analgesics and better and more detailed education.
This follows on from an article relating to chronic kidney disease (CKD) and co-morbidities. Not only do these co-morbid diseases cause problems to patients with CKD, they continue to impact upon them when they develop established renal failure (ERF). Various co-morbid conditions can affect the patient including diabetes, hypertension, anaemia and cardiovascular issues. As nephrology nurses we play a fundamental role in patient education, monitoring and management of these factors.
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.
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