Preparing patients for peritoneal dialysis.
When told of their need for dialysis, patients often cannot accept it and are fearful toward dialysis. Pre-dialysis counseling programs help patients to face dialysis, to make the right choice of dialysis modality, and to prepare themselves for life on dialysis. Clear explanations of peritoneal dialysis (PD) help patients choosing PD. Patients should be referred to pre-dialysis programs at least 4 - 6 months before commencement of dialysis or when their glomerular filtration rate is around 15 mL/min/1.73 m(2). The pre-dialysis program is best conducted by experienced staff such as renal nurses and multidisciplinary staff including nephrologists, dietitians, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers, or even dialysis patient representatives depending on availability. The program should be designed according to the culture, settings, staff availability, and patient load in individual hospitals. Pre-dialysis home visits may be needed in some cases to assess suitability and prepare the home for PD.
Lo
Wai Kei
WK
Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, PR China. wkloc@hkucc.hku.hk
Kwan
Tze Hoi
TH
Ho
Yiu Wing
YW
Lee
Maggie
M
Cheng
Yuk Yee
YY
Ng
Suk Yi
SY
Chu
Wai Ling
WL
D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis / Q000523:psychology*; D012017:Referral and Consultation