Renal Failure

Acute renal failure occurs quickly over a period of days or weeks with a reduction in GFR and elevation of BUN, plasma creatinine and crystatin C levels. Oliguria (urine output of < 30ml/hr or < 400 ml/day) is usually associated with ARF, although urine output may be normal or increased as well. Fluid is still filtered at the glomerulus but there is an alteration in tubular secretion or reabsorption. Most types of ARF are reversible if diagnosed and treated early (Perrin, 2009).

The ethical principle nonmaleficence focuses on avoiding and minimizing harm. For a person to become a member of the transplant registry, they must forego a very extensive physical and psychological assessment. Each transplant list patient must also have the transplant surgeon’s final decision putting them on the list. The potential recipient, according to London Health Science Centre (2011) is assigned a “status code”. “The lowest number (1) indicates a patient is relatively stable and who is home and not in hospital. The highest number (4) is a patient on life support in ICU and will die within days if not transplant. Except level (4) surgeons prefer blood group compatibility and organ size before determining organ match” (p.

To further commend her argument, Satel analyzed the short term amd long term risks an organ donor faces and to a reasonably fact, “The truth is that a normal person can get along perfectly well with one kidney. The risk a donor runs is that his single functioning kidney will become deceased or injured and he’ll need a transplant himself—a highly unlikely event” (Satel 451).

There are numerous problems dealing with organ transplantation. A major issue concerning organ transplantation is that organ donors are deficient and scarce. Donors have been known to scarce because not everyone takes good care of his or her body. There are not enough people to donate organs, yet the amount of people in need of organs is increasing by the hour. “Another conflict is organ transplants can still lead to other medical problems. This is usually because of the medicine you need to suppress your immune system” (Nazario Brunilda , “Common”). After an organ transplants, it is a must that you continuously take your medication; a sudden stop will most likely cause the immune system to reject the organ. “The medications can also raise your blood pressure and can cause osteoporosis due to loss of calcium” (Etienne, Flueridor Wendy).

A significant issue is that kidney transplants have become much harder to receive due to the limited supply and the high demand. Thousands of people will be placed on a waiting list for an organ transplant and unfortunately will be on that list for months

Becker and Elias in their article: Cash for Kidneys: A Case for the Market of Organs, show many different perspectives in both fact and opinion on the topic of Kidney transplants.  The amount of kidney transplants in 2012 greatly differ from a decade ago as the average wait time for a transplant has increased by 1.6 years and the amount of American Citizens needing a transplant has risen by 41,000 people.  Today, the demand for a kidney transplant far exceeds the supply of matching donor kidneys.  With four main blood types and different muscle tissues to match, this is both a lengthy and difficult task.  With less kidneys than needed, hence the current wait time of 4.5 years, many people die while waiting for the transplant they so desperately

Mark is a four year old male who has been diagnosed with chronic renal failure. Mark has two older brothers, John and Max. His mom, Carol, is a teacher at the local elementary school. His dad, Mike, is a community police officer. Mark goes to preschool from 0800-1200 four days a week. They live in a rural community in small four bedroom house with their dog, Bruno. Everyone in the community seems close and supportive. Both Mark’s older brothers caught strep throat at school and then Mark caught it. The strep wasn’t treated for two weeks as his mother thought his symptoms were allergies. Mark was in the clinic with his mom with symptoms of decreased urine output, rusty colored urine, and swelling of the abdomen. The doctor diagnosed him

In 2012, my cousin suffered a severe heart attack which lead to heart failure. After witnessing someone I love suffer a life-changing event, it was important to find ways in which I could help. During her time in the hospital I cared for her children, encouraging them to remain positive around their mother, explaining how important their presence was to her recovery. I assisted in organizing a fundraiser that provided financial benefits for medical expenses. An extended hospital stay can create a feeling of isolation, and the fundraiser served as a physical reminder of the amount of support she had behind her during this battle. Childcare and fundraising were both pivotal ways in which I made a difference, but being present with my cousin at

Among kidney transplant recipients risk factors for non-adherence are health illiteracy, forgetfulness, frequency of dosing, medication changes, and complex medication regimens. Within overall transplant patients, non-adherence to immunosuppression therapy contributes to 20 percent of late acute rejection episodes and 16 percent of graft losses (Lieber, Helcer & Shemesh, 2014). In clinical practice, there is a absence of a systemic approach in identifying and treating non-adherence (Lieber, Helcer & Shemesh, 2014).

In her article, “Organ Will Save Lives” by Joanna Mackay addresses how people are dying to buy and sell a kidney. She tells government not to ban the sale of human organs but they should manage it properly from being in illegal way. Mackay says “About 350,000 Americans suffer from end-stage renal disease, a state of kidney disorder so advanced that the organ stops functioning altogether.” (1) and for this dialysis and kidney transplantation are only way to cure treatment. Dialysis is considered to be harsher and expensive as it acts as artificial kidney and filters the blood for the patient. It does give patient better treatment but not well as expected as it adds more stress to patient body, they usually get unconscious and tired whereas in kidney transplantation it is more secure and valid in today’s world with few complications and it is done by confirming the tissue it is matching or not with anti-rejection drugs. This treatment is considering to be quiet

blood count indicates anemia due to decreased production of erythropoietin (Castner, 2010). A CT scan or MRI can evaluate the anatomy and function of the kidneys to help determine the cause and stage of the disease. A renal biopsy may also be performed. These diagnostic tests determine the progression of the disease. There are five stages of chronic kidney disease. The treatment plan depends on the stage of the disease. If it is diagnosed in stage one, the patient and physician can work to treat the contributing factors and slow the progression of the disease. By the fifth stage the patient is on dialysis, needs a transplant, or in the most severe cases is in hospice care (Castner, 2010).

Some friends and I started learning this information about ten years ago. It wasn 't long before several of us were thinking seriously about donating a kidney to someone who needed it. There was almost a race to see who could be first. We now understand that this is not unusual, that often family members have a similar competition in order to be able to save the life of a loved one. And others who have donated to strangers have said that they felt the same keen desire to be accepted as a donor, because they felt, like us, that it would be a great experience.

According to Marise (2011), the most comment causes of cardiac failure are coronary artery disease which Mrs J does have. Cardiac failure occurs when the heart is unable to meet the requirements of the body’s demand and supply. By assessing Mrs J clinical manifestation I would say the severity of her heart failure is in Class IV (New York Heart Association classification). Class IV indicates severe limitation of physical activities and the patient’s symptoms are present even at rest. Looking back on Mrs J disease process, nurses should be able to conceptualize the clinical care needed for her. Well designed and implementation of care plan with the interventions would help to moderate her disease process and maintained her homeostasis of the

Recently with the Affordable Care Act, research and campaigns to encourage organ donors these problems are being met head on. The Food and Drug Administration is also taking action to prevent future drug shortages and their causes. Major ethical dilemmas and cases will be highlighted in order to demonstrate

Kidney diseases are one of the major concerns in the USA and with this, thousands of Americans currently on the national waiting list for a deceased donor. Patients can wait for years to find a compatible donor, and for the more sensitized patients the waiting is long. For sensitized patient the transplantation is a nightmare, because even if they find a living donor candidate willing to give away a kidney, the recipient may not be able to receive the transplant due to the incompatibility of their donors. The shortage of kidney and many other organs for transplantation is the key factor that prolongs the waiting time, which is up to 5 years, and some patients may never receive the an organ. The shortage of deceased donors increased the demand of live- donors, which can be from a family member if lucky. However, not everybody has that opportunity to get it from a sibling and the demand from non- relative donors have increased even if they are a positive cross match or HLA incompatible (1). In Kidney transplant the best possible donor is one whose HLA is very closely matched to the recipient that would make it more likely for the transplant to work and not being rejected. The closer the family member the better options it would have the recipient to have a more compatibility with the donor and this is because HLA markers are passed on from parents to their kids with a 50% chance to match and 25% chance of matching for brothers and sisters. Reducing the mismatch HLA antigens