Shyalini Jeevakaran
Toronto General Hospital – University Health Network- Toronto - Canada
Title: The Significance of Choosing the Right Solution for Peritoneal Dialysis
Biography
Biography: Shyalini Jeevakaran
Abstract
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the treatment modality used for end stage renal disease nephrology patients. Choosing the right peritoneal solution for PD is of paramount importance because it will improve the patient’s condition by improving patients’ clinical outcomes and in effect decrease hospital stay. When wrong solution is used then the patient safety is compromised. In addition, the right PD solution can eliminate any progression of end stage renal disease. A needs assessment was conducted and included: surveys with nursing staff (N=22), nephrology residents and fellows (N=10), informal interviews with nursing staff, and chart auditing. Results from the needs assessment indicate that nurses need a review workshop regarding PD. Nephrology residents and fellows also indicated difficulty in understanding the patients’ ultra-filtration documentation in the chart. Understanding the 24 hour ultra-filtration documentation is crucial to identifying the effectiveness of current PD treatment. As a result, PD workshop was held with 30 nurses. PD workshop for nurses about the PD therapy and the importance of choosing the right PD solution improved practice. Great feedback was obtained from nurses and nephrology residents about the workshop. By identifying the right solution, the nurses were able to collaborate with nephrologists with confidence when deciding the right solution for PD therapy. This will lead to better patients care, decrease hospital stay, improve patients’ safety decrease hospital readmission and increase patients’ satisfaction about the care provided. As a result, the nurses also gain confidence in their practice and it will improve employment satisfaction.