Nutrition Education In-service for In-center Hemodialysis Clinical Dialysis Staff

Download or read book Nutrition Education In-service for In-center Hemodialysis Clinical Dialysis Staff written by Victoria Johnson and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Background: The incidence of End Stage Renal Disease (ERSD) is rapidly increasing. In-Center Hemodialysis is a life sustaining treatment that typically requires dialysis 3 times per week for 4 hours each, while the patient must also comply closely with diet and prescribed medication to avoid increased morbidity and mortality. The RD is essential in patient compliance with the renal diet through educating on dietary and medication adherence. Unfortunately, the RD has to cover many patients and may have insufficient time to adequately counsel them. Furthermore, research indicates that social support can enhance compliance. Therefore, additional support from Registered Nurses (RN), Patient Care Technicians (PCT), Social Worker (SW), and Administrative Assistants (AA) would benefit patients. Objective: Provide a nutrition education in-service to the clinical staff of the South Philadelphia DaVita Dialysis unit, to improve their ability to reinforce the renal diet and medical compliance to renal patients using a pre/post test measure utilizing a PowerPoint presentation and 1-page handout presented by the researcher, the Registered Dietitian of the facility. Methods/Procedure: The study utilized a quasi-experimental, pre/post test design involving a convenience population of the professional staff members at the South Philadelphia DaVita Dialysis center who are directly engaged in patient care. There were 13 subjects primarily African American and Caucasian backgrounds; 8 females and 5 males. Ages ranged between 20-60 years old. The staff comprised of 4 Registered Nurses (including the Facility Administrator); 1 Social Worker; 1 Administrative Assistant; and 7 Patient Care Technicians. Results/Conclusions: Results revealed a 28% increase in test scores after the in-service. Out of the 13 participants, 84% (n=11) improved scores from pre-test to post-test; no subjects showed decreased scores. Further research is needed to investigate the influence of RD-provided staff education on patient compliance.