Dialysis center experience
From October 2013 to January 2014, I volunteered at a dialysis center under the supervision of a Registered Dietitian. The information below offers an overview of my experiences.
Weight Gain reports
- Pulled patient history reports detailing pre- and post-treatment weights to determine amount of fluid gain between treatments.
- Used Excel template to chart weight gain compared to the calculated maximum weight gain based on patient's dry weight.
- Calculated adjusted dry weights for obese patients and for people with chronic fluid retention.
- Observed the Registered Dietitian and Social Worker educate patients on their weight gain history and trends. They discussed strategies for limiting fluid intake and controlling thirst such as limiting sodium intake, using mouth-moisturing sprays, eating hard candies, and tracking fluid intake. Also educated patients on increased risk of mortality due to higher rate of dialysis to remove extra fluid stressing the heart muscle and causing damage.
Patient Food Journal
- Patient with high phosphorus lab results completed a food journal so that the Registered Dietitian could determine contributing factors from the patient's typical diet. Patient recorded intake of food, beverage, and phosphorus binding medication over 5 days.
- Using the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) "Find a Food" website, recorded the potassium, sodium, and phosphorus content of the foods consumed. I estimated portion size and compared similar items on the website to ensure accuracy.
- The Registered Dietitian concluded that the patient was following a sound dialysis diet for kidney health because there were few phosphorus additives and meat was the source of phosphorus. Many dialysis patients have inadequate blood protein levels (albumen), so the patient's consumption of meat is critical to overall health. The Registered Dietitian recommended that the patient take more binders when eating animal-protein to absorb the high levels of phosphorus.
Patient education
- Helped arrange text and visual aides on a poster board to educate patients about high sodium foods, lower sodium alternatives, how to read a food label, and the connection between sodium consumption and thirst.
- Used a poster previously created by the Registered Dietitian illustrating the sodium content of common foods. Each food had a vile filled with the amount of salt per serving.
- Chose word search, crossword, and other puzzles from a kidney patient education book for patients to do during their treatments in order to earn prizes.