Assess and agree the efficacy of the dialysis therapy
Overview
This standard is about weighing up medical data, information on the individual's medical condition and preferences in order to judge whether their dialysis therapy needs to change. Sometimes changes will be made because of under dialysis. At other times changes will be needed because of new treatment developments. Adjustments can also be needed to accommodate some aspect of the individual's social, work or domestic life. Adjustments and compromises should concur with evidence for the overall benefits on the individuals' wellbeing.
Users of this standard will need to communicate effectively to meet individuals' needs and wishes and work in line with health and safety legislation, policy and practices.
This activity could be carried out in a main dialysis unit, a satellite unit or the individual's own
home.
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
P1. identify and agree the roles and responsibilities of yourself and others in assessing and agreeing the efficacy of the dialysis therapy
P2. communicate with the individual and key people at a pace, in a manner and at a level appropriate to the individual's understanding, preferences and needs
P3. encourage individuals to identify their preferences and needs during dialysis therapy
P4. discuss with the individual of their wellbeing and feelings about their dialysis therapy
P5. discuss the individual's goals and aspirations for dialysis and the impact of the plan of care on their lifestyle
P6. find out how long the individual dialyses for and if they have their full treatment on all occasions
P7. assess the performance of dialysis
P8. make regular reviews of the individual's clinical health
P9. establish the individual’s nutritional status
P10. relate the individual's dialysis efficiency to national recommendations/guidelines
P11. interpret the medical and personal data alongside the individual's feelings and wishes with members of the multidisciplinary team to identify whether there is a case for making changes
P12. identify appropriate interventions to address dialysis adequacy
P13. complete all relevant documentation required for dialysis therapy
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
K1. the current legislation, guidelines, policies, procedures and protocols which are relevant to your work practice and to which you must adhere
K2. the scope and limitations of your own competence, responsibilities and accountability as it applies to your job role
K3. how to access and interpret all relevant work instructions and information
K4. specific procedures for reporting issues which are beyond your competence, responsibilities and accountability
K5. the hazards and risks which may arise during the execution of your work role and how you can minimise these
K6. the correct use of any equipment and PPE to protect the health and safety of you and others
K7. the principles, practice and procedures associated with informed consent
K8. the needs of individuals including issues relating to dignity, confidentiality, and privacy
K9. how to identify and respond to the concerns which individuals may have regarding dialysis and the way in which it affects their lives
K10. how to give feedback to the individual on the performance of dialysis
K11. the effects of dependence and independence on the individual, carer and the provision of the service
K12. how to obtain from individuals their goals, aspirations, feelings and expectations
K13. the importance of providing individuals with opportunities to ask questions and increase their understanding
K14. information that should be available in the plan of care, what it means
K15. the recording of agreements, plan of care and other communications
K16. the different features services must have to meet people's gender, culture, language or other needs
K17. the nature of renal failure and the function of renal replacement therapy
K18. how dialysis works for the individual and how its performance is measured
K19. the nature and significance of parameters of dialysis care plans and how circumstances may allow or require these to be varied
K20. evidence of the relationship between individuals' lifestyles and their wellbeing
K21. the effect of nutrition on measures of a individual's health
K22. the relationship between dialysis, nutrition, medication and measures of the individual's health and procedures for controlling these
K23. how to complete and safely store all relevant documentation in accordance with organisational requirements