There are so many complications resulting from acute renal failure. Some of these are cardiovascular which are arrhythmia, heart failure, pericarditis and high blood pressure. Heart failure, in this case, is caused by water and sodium retention and increased cardiac load. These complications can be prevented by administering drugs that help dilate the blood vessels. This will help in efficient blood circulation, thereby reducing water and sodium retention in the kidney tubules (Molitoris, and Finn, 2001).
Patients with this complication are normally put under medication to ease not only their blood circulation but also increase their life. However, the administration of such medication can make the patients develop digestive system complications like nausea, vomiting, abdominal distention and even bleeding. Administration of drugs that can cause such should be highly avoided. In the case of gastrointestinal bleeding, early dialysis is preferred by nurses to avoid further complications. Other preventive measures that may be taken to safeguard patients from such side effects include addition of erythroprotein and consumption of food rich in iron and sodium. Above all, bed rest is also important.
Electrolytes are essential ions in the body such as sodium, potassium and calcium. Some side effects of electrolyte imbalance result to complications like anuria; which can increase the potassium levels in the blood by almost twenty times. This is due to the fact that cells release too much of potassium in the process. This process results into a condition called hyperkalemia; which causes weakness in muscles. The good thing about this is that this condition can be reversed by correcting blood potassium levels.
Another side effect is caused by adenoma whereby there is too much sodium in the blood. This adversely affects the function of Sodium pump. Hypercalcemia is a condition that translates to very high level of calcium ions in the body. It causes excess excretion of phosphorus in urine and even bone demineralization thus increasing the level of calcium in the blood. As a result, more phosphorus is lost by the body through urination (Chapman, 1980).
Teaching plan
Making the patient accept acute renal failure
Objectives of the lesson
- Make the patient understand that fear and grief are part of the disease.
- Make the patient see the relationship between albumin and kidney damage.
- State the functions of the kidney.
- Make the patient understand that despite the fact that kidney diseases are progressive, they can be managed (Molitoris, and Finn, 2001).
Managing the disease
Lesson objectives
- Make the patient understand that proper management of blood pressure is key to managing the disease.
- Make the patient recognize that managing their blood sugar levels is important in containing the disease.
- Mention that the patient should not smoke.
- Point out the danger in over-the-counter medication.
- Make the patient understand the lab tests meant to contain the disease and its related symptoms like blood pressure amongst others (Molitoris, and Finn, 2001).
What to expect when the disease worsens
Lesson objectives
- Make the patient understand the symptoms that indicate that the disease is worsening and the recommend measures to take in the event that this happens.
- Recommend that additional medication might be needed to contain the disease at this point (Chapman, 1980).
Available choices for treating the disease
Lesson objectives
- Make the patient see the differences and similarities in hemo-dialysis and peritoneal dialysis.
Preparing the patient for treatment
Lesson objectives
- Make the patient understand the importance of having surgery long before they commence dialysis.
- Identify two ways through which the non-dominant arm can be protected in readiness for dialysis.
Nursing interventions to meet nutritional needs of such patients
Nurses must ensure that the programs of such patients are programmed to emphasize moderate loss of weight and physical activity. Most importantly, nurses should advice patients to avoid intake of alcohol at whatever cost. In terms of food, such patients need to be advised to take whole grains and cereals. This recommendation is in line with the USA department of agriculture.
References
Chapman, A. (1980). Acute renal failure. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.
Molitoris, B. A., & Finn, W. F. (2001). Acute renal failure: A companion to Brenner and Rector’s The kidney. Philadelphia: Saunders.