Quality Haemodialysis Nursing Care:“More than Kt/V”
Aim: The aim of this study is to explore nurses' perceptions of quality haemodialysis nursing care.
Method: A literature search was undertaken using key words quality, dialysis, h(a)emodialysis, nursing and care. Publications were analysed for their relevance to the concept of quality hemodialysis nursing care and thematically categorised. Publications focussed on other aspects of renal replacement therapy such as peritoneal dialysis, transplant care and pre-dialysis care were excluded.
Results: 86 articles met the above criteria. Further analysis of these articles was performed to identify those publications that had attempted to define concepts related to quality hemodialysis nursing care. This resulted in 19 articles being selected for inclusion. Of the 19 articles 16 were authored by nurses while 3 were co-authored by nurses.
Results/Nursing Implications:
1) There are multiple perspectives (patient, carer, nurse, medical) of quality haemodialysis nursing care.
2) Quality haemodialysis nursing care incorporates both the “technical” and the “personal”.
3)Technical process measures include urea clearance, anaemia management, nursing assessment, nutritional management and bone disease management. Outcome measures include morbidity, mortality and quality of life.
4) Quality personal nursing care relates to the willingness of a nurse to listen, the recognition of a patient’s suffering, respect of a patient’s individuality and autonomy, the time taken for nurse/patient interaction
Conclusions: Quality in haemodialysis nursing care is a complex concept that involves the technical and the personal. It is a concept that has multiple perspectives. This information is relevant for the haemodialysis nurse to assist in the provision of quality haemodialysis care