Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example
Educating Healthcare Providers on Phosphorus Management in Hemodialysis Patients
Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The higher mortality risk is typically due to cardiovascular risk factors, including diabetes and hypertension (Somuah 1-2). The higher mortality is also due to bone and mineral metabolism disorders and vascular calcification. Laboratory abnormalities like calcium, phosphorous, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and vitamin D are characteristic of a systematic disorder called CKD-mineral bone disorder. According to Kefale et al. (2019), the disorder causes a reduction in physical functioning, bodily pain, social functioning, and vitality, reducing the quality of life.(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
For those with stage 4 and stage 5 kidney disease, particularly stage 5 (also called end-stage renal disease or ESRD), high levels of phosphorus (hyperphosphatemia) are an issue because damaged kidneys are no longer able to filter phosphorus from the blood and get rid of the excess in urine. Too much PTH is released, causing the weakening of bones over time, making them more prone to breakage, and leading to renal osteodystrophy. It also leads to bone and heart issues that result in hospital stays and, in rare circumstances, death. High amounts of phosphorus in the blood can also cause low blood calcium levels because it causes bones to lose calcium. Calcification or hardening of tissues occurs when phosphorus and calcium combine to form painful, unhealthy hard deposits in the heart, arteries, joints, skin, or lungs. Additionally, too much PTH causes bone pain and itching. These conditions and symptoms make life difficult for the patient, reducing the quality of life. Therefore it is necessary to control phosphorus intake to help the patient live a more optimal life. (Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Controlling hyperphosphatemia using diets, dialysis, and phosphorous binders reduces morbidity and mortality risks related to CKD (Kalantar-Zadeh). It also reduces bone and heart problems, the risk of developing renal osteodystrophy, calcium deficiency, the risk of calcification and tissue hardening, bone pain, and itching, increasing the quality of life. Therefore, some of the benefits of educating healthcare providers on phosphorous management in hemodialysis patients is reducing or preventing the associated morbidity and mortality. Most importantly, when healthcare providers learn to educate patients about phosphorus management, it improves concordance and adherence and encourages patients to collaborate actively for better management or control of mineral metabolism. The education is paramount to help providers understand how to lower phosphorus intake while avoiding or mitigating protein deficiency and hypercalcemia. All these efforts aim at ensuring patients live an optimal, more quality life.(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Disease management is one of the approaches to ensuring a better life lived for patients. CKD management in hemodialysis patients requires phosphorus management. Hyperphosphatemia, resulting from elevated serum phosphorus, increases vascular stiffening and arterial and vascular calcification, which increases mortality risk in hemodialysis patients (Kalantar-Zadeh). If healthcare providers can effectively manage phosphorus intake among the patients, they reduce morbidity and mortality risk associated with CKD, which translates to better life lived. Additionally, the project seeks to increase patient understanding and active participation and adherence, and persistence, which are associated with better patient outcomes that translate to a quality life or better life lived.(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Work Cited
Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar. “Patient education for phosphorus management in chronic kidney disease.” Patient preference and adherence vol. 7 379-90. 3 May. 2017, doi:10.2147/PPA.S43486(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Kefale, B., Alebachew, M., Tadesse, Y., & Engidawork, E. (2019). Quality of life and its predictors among patients with chronic kidney disease: A hospital-based cross sectional study. PloS one, 14(2), e0212184. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0212184(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)
Somuah, Lilian A. Educating Primary Care Nurses on Phosphorus Management in Chronic Kidney Disease Patients. Diss. Walden University, 2018.(Intangible Benefits Comprehensive Nursing Essay Example)