Having a general knowledge on ESRD helps to provide better care to my patients. I may not be specializing in renal however it doesn’t mean that I won’t come across a patient presenting with this disease. Understanding the pathophysiology and how this is affecting the patient allows for me to create a care plan specific to meet their needs and to provide safe and competent care. I want to understand expected and unexpected findings and be able to perform focused assessment and monitoring for these patients. As a nurse a way I can help reduce the risk of ESRD is by educating my patients on causes of this disease as well as lifestyle and diet modifications. Educating patients to manage blood pressure, blood sugar, exercising, keeping a healthy weight, limiting alcohol, and eating a healthy diet. 

Some people believe that they must travel to receive dialysis. However this is incorrect as there are options to be able to complete dialysis, both a facility and at home. There is another thought that dialysis is painful which in reality, there may be some discomfort with the needles but the treatment itself is painless. I have never specifically cared for a patient in end stage renal disease. My only interaction has been with one patient who has a fistula which I was allowed to listen to and palpate. That allowed me to begin to acknowledge how ESRD may affect the patient as well as what is done to the vein to be able to have frequent dialysis.