Assessment of Self-Care Practice of Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis at Cairo University Hospitals
Modalities of renal replacement therapy (RRT), hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation, mean an important challenge for the patient's own disease management. By focusing on regaining and promoting self-care, patients with ESRD are encouraged to use their potential for personal development and to increase their responsibility for their health and well-being. Aim: the current study was carried out to assess self care practice of patients on maintenance hemodialysis at teaching hospital. Research questions: Q. How do patients on maintenance hemodialysis care of themselves? Design: A descriptive correlational research design was utilized to achieve the aim of the study. Sample: 56 adult male and female patients on maintenance hemodialysis for more than one year were study subjects. Setting: The study was conducted at King Fahd Unit, university hospital; Cairo. Tools: For the purpose of this study, an interviewing questionnaire of assessing self care practices of patients on maintenance hemodialysis was utilized. Results: The subjects' mean age (40.83±14.17) years; More than half of the subjects were females (51.8%). (53.6%) were married, 2/3 (66.1%) need  help, the duration of being treated with hemodialysis (37.5%) was between 3->6 years, (64.3%) having co-morbid diseases and other health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and systemic lupus; (73.2%) have the shunt in left arm, (92.9%) are scheduled for three times a week, (91.1%) practice and achieve their activities independently, almost all of the subjects provide care for shunt site most of the days , and (94.6 %) drinking more than the allowed amount of fluid/ day. Keywords : self care practice, assessment, and hemodialysis