The Role and Function of Family in Improving the Quality of Patients’ Life: Managing Nutrition During Hemodialysis in Medan, Indonesia

Abstract

Hemodialysis patients experience physiological and psychological deterioration in bodily functions due to their chronic disease. Therefore, the family has a key role in overcoming this to improve the patient's quality of life. The design used in this study is qualitative and quantitative, which aims to decide the quality of life of hemodialysis patients and determine the family's role and function in nutritional monitoring in the city of Medan. Respondents in this study were hemodialysis patients whom their families accompanied. The number of respondents was eleven patients and forty-four patient families using the purposive sampling technique. Inclusion criteria for patients undergoing routine hemodialysis, undergoing hemodialysis for more than 6 months, while undergoing hemodialysis accompanied by their nuclear family, the nuclear family directly treats the patient. The results showed that forty-four people or 68.20% of respondents had an excellent quality of life, 81.80% of the patient's family had a good role and function. Two themes were found in the role and function of the family in monitoring the patient's nutrition, namely: (1) meeting the patient's needs so that the patient's condition was stable and (2) being support for patients undergoing hemodialysis. The family is the closest person who is the companion, caring for and providing support to patients to improve the welfare of life.