The effects of diet and fluid education administered to patients of hemodialysis on some parameters

Abstract

Background: It is important to assess the effectiveness of education sessions conducted to increase the quality of life of hemodialysis patients, and reduce mortality and complications.Aim: The study was implemented to evaluate the effect of education given to help hemodialysis patients to adjust to diet and liquid restrictions on the patients’ weight, blood pressure, fluid states and laboratory results.Methods: During the study, every week, two sessions of education were given by the researcher-nurse regarding diet and fluid restriction to patients who received hemodialysis treatment for a period of 8 weeks and parameters were evaluated at the end of the education. The study population consisted of 42 patients who consented to participate in the study between June and December 2014 at the Dialysis Unit of Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine. The study was conducted using the pretest-posttest quasi-experimental research design. Patients aged 18 or above who had been receiving hemodialysis treatment at least for one year, did not have extremity amputation or plegia. The patients’ blood pressures, heights, weights and bioimpedance were measured by the researcher-nurse. Average, standard deviation, frequency, number, percentage and paired t test were used in the evaluation of the data.  The patients who received treatment were given information about the purpose and method of the study and their consents were received. Results: It was found that 59.5 % of the patients were female, 47.6 % had primary level of education, 83.2 % were married and 45.2 % were housewives. It was seen that 50 % of the patients who received hemodialysis treatment did not have other chronic diseases, 38.1 % had been receiving hemodialysis for 0-3 years, 59.5 % knew the amount of fluid they needed to take, 45.2 % received 1500-2000 liters of fluid, 52,4 % did not urinate. Significant changes were observed in the patients’ blood pressures before and after the education (systolic p:0,012, diastolic p:0,013) and in their weight when they received dialysis (p:0,000). On the other hand, as far as laboratory data were concerned, significant differences were found before and after the education only in sodium input and output, potassium input and output values, and in extracellular fluid as far as bioimpedance results were concerned. Conclusion: It was found that significant results were obtained in some parameters as a consequence of the education given to the patients. Given that the best control in long hemodialysis treatments is a decrease in fluid load, patients should definitely be given education emphasizing the importance of diet and fluid restriction. It can be suggested education sessions can be given for longer periods to obtain more significant results.