Cooperation of a nurse with dialysis patient’s family as an important component of therapy

Introduction
Dialysis (hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis) requires the patient to adapt to certain restrictions of varying severity, often to change his/her life and professional plans. It also requires caregivers with commitment and organizational skills.

Aim
The aim of this study is to discuss general assumptions of a nurse’s co-operation with a dialysis patient and his family.

Overview
The cooperation will be analysed at various stages of therapy: pre- and during dialysis. This study develops an individual cooperation programme of the entire therapeutic team (nurse, doctor, psychologist, dietitian, physiotherapist, patient, family). Cooperation is focused on providing professional support and implementation of the educational programme covering, among others, aspects of lifestyle, care and protection against infections of vascular access and patients’ compliance with therapeutic recommendations.

Conclusions
The nurse’s priority is to prepare the dialyzed patient to function independently in cooperation with his family. This helps to improve the patient’s quality of life.