Effect of Palliative Care Plan On end-stage renal disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Abstract

Background: Palliative care is defined as a treatment given to control pain and undesirable symptoms of chronic or serious illnesses where there is no reasonable anticipation of a cure for patients. Determination patient and early referral to palliative care decrease suffering and improve symptom management in these patients; also it can reduce overall health care utilization and costs if initiated early in the disease course. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Palliative Care Plan On end-stage renal disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis. Study design: A quasi-experimental design was used in the conduction of this study. Setting: This study was carried out at hemodialysis unit at Alazhar University Hospital at new Damietta city. Subjects: A convenient sample of 35 patients. Tools of Data Collection: The following tools were used to collect the necessary data:1) Structured interview sheet, 2) Self-care questionnaire, 3) Dialysis symptom index, and 4) Palliative care plan. Results: increased total mean score of patients knowledge and practice t ,with highly statistically significant differences at pre vs post test& pre vs follow up test (p <0.01) for both tests. Conclusion: the palliative care plan had positive effect in decreasing and control severity of those symptoms in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Recommendations Dialysis units should equipped by palliative care programs. Set up a counseling room in hemodialysis