As the holidays approach remember the dialysis patients!

Our call staff hate thanksgiving because it is sooo busy with admission...

Madwife2002, you must work in a chronic unit. I work in acute inpatient dialysis, and am absolutely THRILLED that this coming weekend is not my weekend to work and be on call! Unfortunately, those chronic patients who throw caution to the wind on Thursday often become inpatients by Saturday, and the acute dialysis nurses really have their hands full all weekend long.

Thank you for this article. I'll never forget the daily struggles our dialysis patients have to go through.

Good reminder. I work a step down unit combined with the renal floor. I am working Saturday and will think of you as I take care of all my new admits!

Thank you! I would not have thought of it in that context!

Cherry picking season is kind of "holiday" around these parts. Everyone looks forward to the first day of harvest.I had a patient that couldn't (wouldn't) resist. He'd buy a bag of cherries, eat it, look at his watch and say, "Well, guess I'd better go to the ER now." I told him if he must, to please just eat the bag of cherries before his regularly scheduled treatment so we wouldn't get called out at 10 PM. But, he preferred going to the hospital. Comfy bed, a TV, a blanket and on-demand room service. I think it was like his annual vacation spot.

Quote from westieluvMadwife2002, you must work in a chronic unit. I work in acute inpatient dialysis, and am absolutely THRILLED that this coming weekend is not my weekend to work and be on call! Unfortunately, those chronic patients who throw caution to the wind on Thursday often become inpatients by Saturday, and the acute dialysis nurses really have their hands full all weekend long.

Bill Peckham talks about this on his blog From the Sharp End of the Needle. 3 x a week dialysis is the bare minimum for life, it leaves you with a GFR of about 15. If 4 times a week became the norm that would allow the occasional skipping of treatments without harm. More design margin would cost more money but how much do all these "emergency" treatments cost? If we could stop being slaves to Kt/v as the measurement of dialysis adequacy and instead did what was best for patients perhaps we could change this dysfunctional system we have.

Quote from ChiscaBill Peckham talks about this on his blog From the Sharp End of the Needle. 3 x a week dialysis is the bare minimum for life, it leaves you with a GFR of about 15. If 4 times a week became the norm that would allow the occasional skipping of treatments without harm. More design margin would cost more money but how much do all these "emergency" treatments cost? If we could stop being slaves to Kt/v as the measurement of dialysis adequacy and instead did what was best for patients perhaps we could change this dysfunctional system we have.

Oh, this makes me think so much of a beloved family member who has been faithfully attending dialysis appointments three times a week for the past several months. I think he tries to forget his life depends on it, but I know it's never too far from his mind as he gets up before dawn to drive to the clinic. It really is a daily struggle for him, and if he even lets a little bit of hopelessness in he often talks about stopping treatment altogether. Thank you so much to the nurses who are there with him to give instruction and help, because I know you are giving hope as well.

Quote from ArtClassRNI work with many renal patients and I have never had any patient undergo "emergency" treatment who was compliant with his/her dialysis schedule and med regimen. Noncompliant ones? Yeah - all the time. I highly doubt increasing to 4x a week would increase quality of life or compliance or decrease emergent treatment. Given the disturbing amount of noncompliance with a 3x week regimen, can you imagine how bad it would be with 4x a week? Changing to enable "skipping" doesn't make any sense at all. Further, who wants to go to dialysis four times a week??

Thanks for the article Madwife. Good points....but I want to know what world you live in that gives staff holidays off? Lol, the only one we get is Christmas day and we have to open on Sunday to cover that. I have worked the last 6 Thanksgivings in a row!