Hemodialysis Machine

Hemodialysis Machine

The healthcare technology discussed in this paper is the hemodialysis machine. The machine will be used in a fictional case involving a 50-year-old male client with end-stage renal disease. The patient is overweight and has high blood pressure and diabetes, which are responsible for his current condition. This technology has been introduced recently at the bedside to care for complex adult patients. The technology is expected to help the client lead a near-normal life, and it can also be used at home upon discharge. Our assignment writing help is at affordable prices to students of all academic levels and academic disciplines.

Explanation and Background

The end-stage renal disease represents a stage whereby a patient’s renal dysfunction has progressed to a point where survival and homeostasis cannot be sustained with maximal medical management and native kidney function. At this point, renal replacement therapy is necessary (Khamis et al., 2017). Hemodialysis machines usually perform extracorporeal dialysis to replace the major activity of the kidneys in patients who have impaired renal function, such as patients with end-stage renal disease (Khandpur, 2019). Hemodialysis tries to replace the excretory functions of one’s kidney. The hemodialysis machine performs five major parts, namely: Mixing the dialysate, monitoring the dialysate, pumping blood and controlling the administration of anticoagulants, monitoring the blood for the presence of air and drip chamber pressure, and monitoring the ultrafiltration rate. The single-patient hemodialysis systems are divided into four main components, namely: the dialysate delivery system, the dialyzer, the extracorporeal blood delivery circuit, and the control circuit.

The machine filters blood through a dialyzer or artificial kidney with built-in safety checks to ensure the process is effective and safe. 2 tubes are connected through the patient’s hemodialysis access, and blood flows from the body into the machine through 1 of the tubes. Depending on the doctor’s prescription, blood thinning can be done to prevent blood clotting while in the machine. A pressure pump and monitor work together to keep the flow at the correct rate. The blood enters the dialyzer, where it is filtered. The dialysate solution enters the dialyzer and draws the waste from the patient’s blood. The used dialysate solution is then pumped out of the machine and discarded. The patient’s blood goes through another pressure monitor and an air trap to ensure that it is safe to go back into the body. The cleaned blood returns to the body through the second tube attached to the access site (Fresenius Kidney Care, 2021). Generally, hemodialysis machines are used on patients who suffer from chronic or acute impairment in kidney function. They can be used for home or hospital dialysis.

Risks and Benefits

Hemodialysis makes it possible for one to lead a normal life. It also requires less time than peritoneal dialysis, requires fewer surgical interventions, and carries a relatively low risk of infection. To enhance the benefits of a hemodialysis machine, one can be trained to use it at home to avoid excessive traveling to hospitals for dialysis sessions. With home hemodialysis, patients can choose where and when to have the dialysis, allowing them to lead a normal routine and even travel with the machine. However, hemodialysis might involve restricting the patient’s fluid and food intake. Most people receiving hemodialysis in a dialysis center are forced to avoid particular foods and are advised not to drink more than a certain amount of fluids daily. However, research shows that having more regular dialysis sessions at home might help one to have fewer fluid and dietary restrictions (National Health Service, 2018). Furthermore, given that dialysis is linked to low blood pressure, making use of a special medication can help prevent this. Therefore, it will be important to ensure thorough training and education of the patient on using the machine at home to increase the benefits and reduce risks.

Interdisciplinary Team’s Roles and Responsibilities

The renal program that involves the use of the hemodialysis machine requires a team effort. In this case, the needed interdisciplinary team includes a nephrologist, nurse practitioner, dietician, renal pharmacist, dialysis or biomedical technologist, and the patient. The nephrologist will be in charge of evaluating the etiology of the chronic kidney disease and determining the care plan. The dietician will guide the patient in dietary counseling and fluid management. Biomedical or dialysis technologists are very important members of the interdisciplinary team, providing a high level of expertise in clinical technology in dialysis water systems and dialysis-related equipment (Johns et al., 2016). They serve as a resource to a patient considering home hemodialysis. They offer efficient, effective, and safe use of the hemodialysis machine.

The dietician will help the patient with a special diet of healthier foods and fluids and the amounts to take to manage the disease. A renal pharmacist will also be needed to monitor medication effectiveness and make suggestions for adjustments where necessary. With the help of family, the patient will play an important role in determining the best treatment plan. Nurses play an integral role in the interdisciplinary team. The nurse will be expected to collaborate with the nephrologist, patient, and his family to develop an individualized treatment plan. The nurse will link the patient and all other team members.

Nursing Scope of Practice

There are several areas of knowledge that nephrology nurses offer to patients besides the technical aspects of dialysis care. Some of these include the roles of mentor, facilitator, educator, advocate, and caregiver. The nurse needs to provide dialysis therapy as ordered by the physician, and they need to know about the disease to educate the patient regarding the condition, their medications, and diet, among other things. Hemodialysis nursing skills require teamwork, good assessment skills, collaborative skills, therapeutic communication, technical skills, leadership qualities, good attention to detail, and good documentation skills. Generally, the dialysis nurse must have sophisticated technical skills in operating complex machinery. They must pay keen attention to detail since administering dialysis requires strict adherence to certain protocols. Furthermore, they need strong educational and motivational skills since they teach patients of all backgrounds and ages about their disease and motivate patients to care for themselves (Alramadhan et al., 2019). The registered nurse also needs to have an attitude of constant inquiry, inspiring them to seek better treatment options or outcomes for the patient while using the hemodialysis machine.

Patient Education

The hemodialysis nurse should take center stage in teaching the patient what to expect during dialysis, taking him through the process, explaining how much time dialysis will take, and answering any question with the help of the interdisciplinary team. The patient should be educated on evaluating their dialysis access port for redness, drainage, and any other sign of infection, considered the second most common cause of mortality among hemodialysis patients (Perkins, 2020). In addition, the dialysis technologist should take the patient through the hemodialysis machine at home if the patient accepts this and also guide him through the use and maintenance of the dialysis equipment and emergency repairs. A dietician will also be needed to show the patient the types and quantities of foods and fluids to take.

Patient education should be done orally by the relevant professionals with the help of manuals that can be used for reference by the patient and family. It is also important that the patient participates actively during the hemodialysis to enhance his knowledge of how the machine is used and how he can manage his condition. The effectiveness of the teaching will be evaluated based on the number of times the patient or family member conducts hemodialysis correctly.

Conclusion

Hemodialysis becomes a necessity when a patient has end-stage renal disease. With the help of a hemodialysis machine, the condition can be managed, allowing the patient to lead a normal life. Hemodialysis takes up the excretory functions of the kidney. With the help of an interdisciplinary team consisting of a nurse, nephrologist, dietician, and dialysis technologist, among others, the patient’s condition can be managed. To allow the patient to have independence, patient education will be necessary. Research shows that home hemodialysis provides for more flexibility and less fluid and dietary restrictions, and therefore, patient education will be required to facilitate improved quality of life.

References

Alramadhan, E.S et al. (2019). Assessment of the Nurses’ Skills during Caring for Hemodialysis Patients. Australian Journal of Nursing Health Care, 6(1), 1052.

Fresenius Kidney Care (2021). How Does a Hemodialysis Machine Work? Retrieved from https://www.freseniuskidneycare.com/treatment/dialysis/hemodialysis-machine

Johns, T. S., Yee, J., Smith-Jules, T., Campbell, R. C., & Bauer, C. (2016). Interdisciplinary care clinics in chronic kidney disease. BMC nephrology, 16(1), 1-10.

Khamis, S. S. A., Kora, M. A. E. A., El Barbary, H. S., & Gharib, S. M. (2017). Assessment of safety measures in hemodialysis units in Qalyubia Governorate. Menoufia Medical Journal, 30(3), 672.

Khandpur, R. S. (2019). Compendium of Biomedical Instrumentation. John Wiley & Sons.

National Health Service. (June 14, 2018). Pros and Cons: Dialysis. Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/dialysis/pros-cons/

Perkins, S. (2020). The Role of the Hemodialysis Nurse with Renal Failure Patients. Retrieved from https://work.chron.com/role-hemodialysis-nurse-renal-failure-patients-24369.html

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Choose a therapeutic modality or healthcare.

Examples of therapeutic modalities include Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation, Automatic rotating pronation beds, right and left ventricular assist devices, nontraditional ventilator

Examples of healthcare technology can consist of regional O2 saturation monitoring (NIRS).

Refer to your faculty member if your selection requires prior

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Include the following sections (detailed criteria listed below and in the Grading Rubric):

Introduction

• The chosen therapeutic modality or healthcare technology meets one of the following criteria:
• Has been introduced recently at the bedside for care of the complex adult
• It is a nontraditional modality for very ill patients in special
• It is being used in a new way to treat a patient with complex
• Requires specific training above and beyond general entry-level nursing
• Introduce the therapeutic modality or healthcare
• Name the therapeutic modality or healthcare
• A brief fictional case is used to illustrate the therapeutic modality of healthcare

Explanation and Background

• • Include a clear description of the therapeutic modality or healthcare
  • Discuss how the therapeutic modality or healthcare technology
  • Describe the patient population it is used
  • Include medication, safety, and cost considerations as

Risks and Benefits

• • Describe how the therapeutic modality or healthcare technology can benefit the
  • Discuss ways to promote positive
  • Explain the complications that may
  • Discuss considerations for preventing

Interdisciplinary Team’s Roles and Responsibilities

• • Identify all multidisciplinary team members caring for the patient, such as respiratory therapy, assistive personnel, providers, case managers, clinical nurse specialists, and
  • Describe the roles and responsibilities of each member of the healthcare team that is involved in the use of the therapeutic modality or healthcare
  • Discuss the roles and responsibilities of the nurse as a member of the interdisciplinary team caring for the patient.

Nursing Scope of Practice

• • Discuss the knowledge needed for the Registered Nurse to provide care for the patient using the therapeutic modality or healthcare.
  • Describe skills needed for the Registered Nurse to provide care for the patient using therapeutic modality or healthcare.
  • Discuss attitudes needed for the Registered Nurse to provide care for the patient using therapeutic modality or healthcare.

Patient Education

• • Describe the information to be taught to the patient and/or
  • Discuss how information will be taught
  • Explain how the effectiveness of the teaching will be

Conclusion

• • Provide a summary of the
  • No new information is
  • Include additional resources for further