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Nephrology Nurses

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Anemia has long been recognized as a serious health problem in patients requiring dialysis. Successful treatment of anemia (i.e., increasing the hematocrit towards normal) in such patients is associated with reduced morbidity/mortality and significant improvements in cardiovascular and brain function as well as quality of life.
There are a lot of factors which causes a low hemoglobin count on laboratory test. Some of these contributing factors are inadequate dialysis treatment, inflammation/infection, inadequate EPO dosing, malnutrition, diabetes mellitus, etc. Identification and correction that affects hemoglobin level should be done by checking the patients’ nutritional intake, iron stores, EPO resistance and dosage, continuous monitoring …show more content…

There is a need for greater awareness of the importance of early intervention. Nephrology nurses have assumed increased clinical responsibilities within today's practice setting, and their role in managing CKD patients may increase in the future. Nephrology nurses can have a major impact on the clinical outcomes of CKD patients, primarily through patient education and improved patient compliance. Nephrology nurses who do not oversee the direct medical management of CKD patients may still play vital roles in identifying anemic patients, promoting compliance, educating patients and health care personnel, and administering therapies. These functions are essential because several barriers exist to optimal anemia management in the CKD patient. For instance, patients and care providers may not understand the importance of anemia management and may question whether it is worth bringing CKD patients into the office weekly for injections. Nephrology nurses can communicate the importance of anemia management over the long term and assure patients about the safety and efficacy of the available

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