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What to Ask Dialysis Care Providers
Before you decide where to go for dialysis, visit the centers you are interested in. Talk with your doctor, the staff at the dialysis center, and your family about your treatment options. Ask lots of questions. Use the Notes section below to write down what you learn.
As a person with kidney disease, you have the right:
- To understand your treatment options
- To choose the treatment that works best for you
- To ask questions
| 1. What to ask a DOCTOR | Notes |
| Questions about treatment options | |
| What are my options for treating my kidney disease? It's important to know about all of the treatment options you have, and the pros and cons of each option. |
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| What should I think about when choosing the best treatment option for me? It's important to think about how your treatment will fit into your lifestyle (such as your job). |
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| What are the pros and the cons of hemodialysis (HD)? You will need to decide which treatment is right for you. |
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| What are the pros and the cons of peritoneal dialysis (PD)? You will need to decide which treatment is right for you. |
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| What options do I have to do my dialysis at home? Doing dialysis at home can give more control over your care and your life. |
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| What are the pros and the cons of kidney transplant? You will need to decide which treatment is right for you. |
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| How do I get on a kidney transplant waiting list? How many lists can I get on at once? Your doctor should explain the process to you and help you get started if you are interested. |
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| What would I need to do to get a living donor for a kidney transplant? Many people don't know that kidneys for transplants can come from living donors. |
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| Questions about choosing a dialysis center | |
| Which dialysis center do you refer patients to? Which centers do you prefer? You need to decide if the centers the doctors refer to are the ones that best match your needs. |
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| What other dialysis centers are in this area? Most areas have more than one dialysis center. |
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| Which dialysis center gives the best care? Not all dialysis centers are the same. Some provide better care than others. |
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| Why are you suggesting this dialysis center for me? Your doctor should think about your needs when suggesting a dialysis center for you. |
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| How often will I see you if I get my dialysis treatments here? Doctors can treat patients better if they see them often. |
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| Questions about vascular access (this is the place where the dialysis machine will be connected for HD) | |
| What are the pros and cons of three kinds of vascular access possible for HD (fistulas, grafts and catheters)? Patients with fistulas tend to live longer and have fewer problems with their access. |
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| What percent of your HD patients have a fistula? A graft? A catheter? National efforts are being made to increase the number of fistulas. |
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| How can I get my veins and arteries mapped to see if a fistula will work for me? Vascular mapping is the first step to getting a fistula. |
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| Questions about dialysis and kidney disease | |
| What are some common problems with dialysis and how can I help prevent them? Your doctor should help you learn how to take care of yourself. |
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| What happens if I miss an HD session? It's important that you get all of your treatments. |
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| Can you suggest good books, websites, patient support groups, or other ways to learn more about kidney disease and its treatment? Knowing more about kidney disease and its treatments can help you take better care of yourself and live longer. |
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| How can my family learn more about kidney disease and its treatment? Families often provide a lot of help and support for dialysis patients. |
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| What will my future be like with my kidney disease? Patients who plan ahead can often maintain an active lifestyle on dialysis. |
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| 2. What to ask a NURSE at a dialysis center | |
| What are my treatment options? Nurses may give you additional information about your options and how they can fit with your lifestyle. |
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| How many nurses work on each shift at this dialysis center? How many patients does each nurse take care of? If nurses have fewer patients to care for, each patient can be watched more closely. |
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| Will I be assigned a primary nurse? If not, who should I talk to if I have questions about my care? Primary nurses often work with the same patients over longer periods of time and get to know them better. |
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| How many dialysis technicians work with each nurse in this dialysis center? What do they do? Technicians often work directly with patients and supervised by nurses. |
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| How are the dialysis technicians in this center trained? Does our state require certification for them? Technicians should have proper training to make sure dialysis patients get the best treatment. |
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| How many patients does each dialysis technician care for? Having fewer patients per technicians means each patients get more attention. |
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| Will I have a choice about which staff put my needles in for HD? Some patients like to have the same person put their needles each time, although that isn't always possible. |
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| Can I learn to put my needles in myself for HD? Some patients prefer to put their own needles in for HD. Having the same person put in the needles can make the access last longer. |
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| If I don't feel well when I am getting HD at the dialysis center, what should I do? It's important to tell the staff if you are not feeling well during the treatment. |
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| What type of education do you offer for patients and their families? A planned education program can help you learn how to take care of yourself. |
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| Can you suggest good books, websites, patient support groups, or other ways to learn more? Knowing more about kidney disease and its treatments can help you take better care of yourself and live longer. |
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| What will my future be like with kidney disease? Patients who can plan ahead can often maintain an active lifestyle on dialysis. |
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| 3. What to ask a SOCIAL WORKER at a dialysis center | |
| When is a social worker at this center? How do I contact you? Social workers may work for more than one dialysis center. |
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| How many other patients do you see? Do you also see patients in other clinics? If social workers have fewer patients to see, each one can get more help. |
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| How common is anxiety and depression with kidney disease? How can you help me with this? Treating mental health problems is part of the social worker's job. |
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| How can you help me and my family adjust to dialysis? Social workers are trained to help patients and their families cope with illness. |
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| Do you have a list of patient and family support groups in this area or on the internet? Many patients find that they can learn a lot from talking to other patients. |
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| Can you help me with questions about my health insurance and how to pay for my dialysis care? Social workers are trained to handle health insurance and payment questions. |
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| Can you help me find ways to pay for my prescription drugs? Social workers usually know of programs to help patients pay for prescription drugs. |
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| Can you help me get dialysis when I'm traveling? Social workers can guide you to dialysis centers in other areas. |
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| Can you help me if I have transportation problems? Social workers should be able to help you with your transportation issues. |
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| 4. What to ask a DIETICIAN at a dialysis center | |
| When is a dietician at this center? How do I contact you? Dietitians may work for more than one dialysis center. |
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| How many other patients do you see? Do you also see patients in other centers? If dietitians have fewer patients to see, each one can get more help. |
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| What will you do to help me understand kidney disease? Dietitians should help you understand how to take better care of yourself through what you eat and drink. |
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| Will you go over my lab test results with me each month? Your dietitian should help you learn how to improve your lab test results. |
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| How can you help me learn more about diets, recipes, and menus that are good for kidney patients like me? Sticking to the best diet for kidney patients is hard for some patients. Dietitians often have ideas that can make it easier. |
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Page Last Updated: August 3, 2012
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