{"id":2272,"date":"2019-07-29T20:09:21","date_gmt":"2019-07-30T03:09:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newdirectionsstaffing.com\/?p=2272"},"modified":"2022-01-11T17:17:04","modified_gmt":"2022-01-11T17:17:04","slug":"developing-nurse-patient-relationships-as-a-dialysis-nurse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newdirectionsstaffing.com\/healthcare\/developing-nurse-patient-relationships-as-a-dialysis-nurse\/","title":{"rendered":"Developing Nurse-Patient Relationships as a Dialysis Nurse"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u201cMy dialysis nurses are the best. They make me feel so comfortable during treatment. I feel like they really care about me.\u201d Imagine your patients saying this about you.<\/span><\/p>\n

For a patient receiving dialysis, their nurse can be the difference between a positive or negative experience. Dialysis nurses and their patients can form an unbreakable bond. One that will leave them remembering each other for the rest of their lifetimes. Of course, this is all dependent upon on the communication style of nurse that is working.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dialysis is an extremely time-consuming treatment for patients, oftentimes causing them to miss out on family and social events. Patients spend a majority of their time traveling to and from dialysis settings. Then, waiting to be attached to the machine, undergoing the actual dialysis treatment itself. If that weren’t enough they then spend time waiting to be discharged before going home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to the involved nature of dialysis treatments, nurses can adjust their communication skills to make things more effortless and relaxed for the patient. Developing a true nurse-patient relationship can result in a smoother process for everybody involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

One Study\u2019s Findings on Dialysis Nurse Jobs<\/span><\/h2>\n

One <\/span>study found in the Nursing Times<\/span><\/a> found that dialysis nurses in the Republic of Ireland rarely communicated with their patients. They interviewed 16 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). They were undergoing hemodialysis therapy in a hospital-based setting, analyzing their findings along the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the end, the study found that the nurses only communicated with the patient when they had a physical or technical need. Patients described the communication as \u201cshallow\u201d and that it \u201crarely progressed beyond a superficial or clinical level.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

We understand that nurses are oftentimes extremely busy in a dialysis-based setting: answering the beeps of various machines, repeatedly checking each patient\u2019s vitals, etc. Although, this study was published in the hopes of raising awareness about the <\/span>type<\/span><\/i> of communication they were receiving, not necessarily how much.<\/span><\/p>\n

Quality Versus Quantity<\/span><\/h3>\n

This study described the <\/span>quality<\/span><\/i> versus <\/span>quantity<\/span><\/i> of nurse-patient communication. While patients said they understood their nurses couldn\u2019t sit down with them and chat for thirty minutes, they said they\u2019d appreciate more heart-to-heart and personal conversing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since you can\u2019t be with your patients for long, simple things will do the trick. Introduce yourself from the start, greet your patient by name, explain what you are doing throughout the process, and engage in active listening by repeating what they say back to them.<\/span><\/p>\n

As a dialysis nurse, we understand the stress and drain that goes along with your job. Don\u2019t put more pressure on yourself to do <\/span>more<\/span><\/i>, instead, enhance and improve what you already do.<\/span><\/p>\n

Nonverbal Communication<\/span><\/h4>\n

The communication your patient appreciates isn\u2019t always verbal. Here are a few nonverbal communication techniques to further develop your patient relationships as a certified dialysis nurse:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n