The role and tasksof nurses in improving the quality of life of hemodialysis patients

Ciljevi istraživanja: Prikazati percepciju kvalitete života koju imaju oboljeli u program liječenja hemodijalizom i ulozi medicinske sestre/tehničara u njihovoj edukaciji. Nacrt studije: Presječno istraživanje. Ispitanici i metode: Ispitivanjem je obuhvaćeno 60 hemodijaliziranih bolesnika svih dobnih skupina i oba spola liječenih na Odjelu za hemodijalizu Opće bolnice Pula. Ulazni kriterij bila je dijagnoza kronične bubrežne insuficijencije u stadiju liječenja hemodijalizom. Kao mjerni instrumenti procjene rabljeni jsue namjenski upitnik složen sa ciljem procjene percepcije o ulozi medicinske sestre/tehničara u timu te dio standardiziranog sociodemografskog upitnika SF-36 za dobivanje podataka o kvaliteti života ispitanika. Rezultati: Rezultati su pokazali da je 83,3% ispitanika upućeno u važnost prehrane; 75,0% dobilo je brošuru o prehrani te dopuštenim i zabranjenim namirnicama; 78,3% informacije o prehrani i načinu života dobilo je od medicinske sestre/tehničara; 91,7% navodi da medicinska sestra/tehničar ima važnu ulogu u edukaciji bolesnika o načinu života i prehrani na hemodijalizi, a čak 93,3% smatra da dobiju dobru povratnu informaciju od medicinske sestre/tehničara kad imaju bilo kakve nejasnoće vezane uz prehranu, način života te fizičku aktivnost. Odgovori na ove tvrdnje nisu varirali s obzirom na spol i dob. Određene varijacije prema dobi i spolu odnosile su se na količinu konzumacije ribe, na informacije o promjeni prehrane dobivene od liječnika ili zdravstvenog radnika te na konzumaciju žestokih pića. Zaključak: Kvaliteta života oboljelih od KBB liječenih hemodijalizom znatno je narušena te je uloga medicinske sestre/tehničara uz ostale članove interdisciplinarnog tima osobito važna. Posebice se ističe savjetodavna uloga kao i važnost psihološke njege koju pružaju medicinske sestre/tehničari.Objectives: The aim of this study was to present the patients’ perception of the quality of life during haemodialysis and the role of the nurse/medical technician in their education. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Materials and methods: The study encompassed 60 haemodialised patients belonging to all age groups and both sexes who were treated at the Haemodialysis Department of the Pula General Hospital. The input criterion was the diagnosis of a chronic kidney disease at the stage of haemodialysis. The measurement instruments for evaluation were a questionnaire for the evaluation of the perception of the role of the nurse/medical technician in the team and the standardized sociodemographic questionnaire SF-36 for the collection of data about the patients’ quality of life. Results: The results have shown that 83.3 % of respondents were educated about the importance of nutrition, 75.0 % of them got a brochure on nutrition, and allowed and forbidden food, 78.3 % of them obtained the information about proper nutrition and way of life from a nurse. As many as 91.7 % stated that nurses have an important role in the education of haemodialised patients about the way of life and nutrition, while even 93.3 % were of the opinion that they could get a quality information from nurses in case of any queries linked to nutrition, way of life and physical activity. Answers to these statements did not vary in regard to sex and age. Certain variations according to age and sex regarded the quantity of fish consumption, the information about changes in nutrition obtained by doctors or healthcare workers, and the consumption of strong drinks. Conclusion: The quality of life of chronic kidney disease patients is considerably impaired. Therefore, the role of nurses/medical technicians, along with the role of other members of the interdisciplinary team, is extremely important. The consulting role and the importance of psychological care given by nurses/medical technicians is especially emphasized