The Effect of Nursing Intervention Guidelines on Vascular Access Self-Care Practices and Quality of Life Among Patients on Maintenance Hemodialysis

Background: Chronic kidney disease is a world-wide public-health problem, as it can progress to end stage renal disease, and the patient is treated with hemodialysis.The level of self-care practices and quality of life among patients on maintenance hemodialysis is a successful way to decrease the incidence of complications.Aim of the study: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of nursing intervention guidelines on vascular access self-care practices and quality of life among patients on maintenance hemodialysis.Design and Setting: A quasi-experimental research design was utilized.The study was carried out in the hemodialysis department at Kasr El Aini university Hospital affiliated to Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.Subjects: A convenient sample of 160 adult male and female patients on maintenance hemodialysis.Tools: Three tools were used to collect data; Tool I: Structured interview questionnaire for patients with vascular access: This tool consists of three parts: Part 1: Patient's socio demographic characteristics, Part 2: Patient's clinical data, and Part 3: Knowledge of patients connected with vascular access (pre and posttest) Needs assessment.Tool II: Self-care practice scale for arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients (ASBHD-AVF), and Tool III: Kidney Disease and Quality of Life (KDQOL-SF36).Results: There was a highly statistically significant difference in patient's knowledge and self-care practices in the pre, immediately post, and 6 months post implementation of nursing intervention guidelines (P>0.001) which showed a progress in patient's performance.More than half )58%) of the study sample had a very good quality of life post implementation of nursing intervention guidelines.Conclusion: The finding of the study concluded that hemodialysis patients who receive nursing intervention guidelines had improvement in selfcare practices and quality of life.Recommendation: Educational sessions by health care professionals in the haemodialysis department about the self care practices for vascular access is required.