Fluid management in dialysis patient - Essay Example

When a patient is on dialysis, circulation of the blood is on one side of a semipermeable membrane, while, on the other side, a special dialysis fluid is circulated. Blood composition must be closely matched by the dialysis fluid. Urea and creatinin, metabolic waste products, are diffused through the dialysis fluid membrane and discarded, while necessary substance diffusion is prevented by its presence in the dialysis fluid. (Answers.com). Dialysis treatment is demanding for the patient, as they must spend four hours during thrice weekly sessions hooked up to these machines.

(Sonnier, 2000, p. 5). Because patients must observe strict dietary and fluid restrictions, there is a great mortality rate that is directly related to non-adherence with the dietary and fluid restriction protocol. Patients must self-care when they are on dialysis, and must comply with their prescribed regimen that is assigned to them when they start dialysis for the first time. Self-care and compliance are different, yet related, terms. There are reasons why patients do not self-care or comply correctly with their prescribed health regimen, and there are solutions that have been put forth.

The solutions include increased education about the necessity of self-care, empowerment through education regarding how to self-care and behavioural modification. Self-care is defined as 鍍he patients deliberate actions regulating his/her functioning and development for health and well-being.(Ricka, et al., 2002, p. 329). Self-care is pertinent to the patients survival and well-being. Compliance is a related term, what that focuses mainly on the correlation between medically prescribed therapeutic regimen compliance and the outcome behaviours.

(Ricka, et al., 2002, p. 331). Dietary factors that require compliance include regulating protein intake; limiting electrolytes, such as potassium and sodium; taking vitamin supplements; and lowering fluid