Chronic Kidney Disease: Impact on US Patients & Society - Essay Sample

Introduction

Chronic diseases are a significant issue in the United States, which is linked with various problems to the patient and society. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is one of the critical chronic conditions in the United States and across the world. This topic is more significant in the modern healthcare environment due to the state of the illness, such as high care costs, increased mortality rates, and decreased quality of life. Also, Healthy People 2020 has identified and explained CKD as a vital topic of focus. Individuals aged 18 years and above greatly suffer from CKD out of the patients living with this illness. However, the condition is preventable and manageable by adopting various strategies. Establishing a comprehensive care plan is vital in supporting healthy practices and enhancing the wellness and quality of life for the patients.

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Assignment Summary

The care plan has been established for the previous four weeks, where each week covers a specific area of the strategy.

Week 1

During this week, I looked at the comorbidity and morbidity rates of CKD. The chronic illness has led to 1.2 million mortality rates around the globe, and also CKD patients tend to have other associated diseases such as cardiovascular complications (Carney, 2020). The cost of CKD is another issue since it impacts the overall health of an individual, and the society as managing and treating this illness requires more expenses. Therefore it is vital to prevent CKD as it is costly by providing education to the high-risk population in the society to help in reducing the rate of new cases. Successful prevention of CKD would result in the proper utilization of the funds in developing the nation and improving healthcare services.

Additionally, I analyzed several objectives of the Healthy People 2020 associated with CKD. Healthy People 2020 has acknowledged numerous goals linked to the issue of CKD as a crucial subject of concern. During this week, the vital objectives of Healthy People 2020 explored include reducing chronic kidney disease new cases and associated costs, mortality, and complications. These objectives match with the goals of the plan of care in executing practical approaches to manage and prevent CKD. I developed a questionnaire to use when interviewing a CKD patient.

Week 2

An interview was conducted with a CKD patient using the questionnaire developed during week one. Mrs. A., who was aged 53 years and diagnosed with CKD, answered the questions accordingly in the form. The patient had a medical history of seventeen years suffering from hypertension and diabetes type II; hence the interview was useful in evaluating her condition. According to Berns (2017), CKD affects individuals across all ethnicities; however, practices of unhealthy lifestyles propel specific forms. The interview showed that harmful practices lead to the advancement of CKD. Mrs. A has a smoking history of 35 years, which reduces the blood flow to essential organs such as the kidneys leading to CKD. During the analysis, it is evident that during the first diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes, she was confused about the outcomes; however, she underwent a diabetes management class, which helped her learn about acceptance. The evaluation revealed that Mrs. A. is more motivated in support groups from friends and relatives who help her in coping up with the condition through counseling. Besides, this support aspect is an excellent coping method capable of assisting the patient in overwhelming the negative emotions related to chronic illness.

Week 3

An extended care plan must integrate approaches to address the most relevant issues linked with the progression of certain chronic conditions. According to Webster et al. (2017), psychological and physical effects mostly associate with CKD and must be managed to guarantee a constant recovery procedure for the patient diagnosed. Therefore, it is vital to recognize these needs when developing a care plan. The analysis obtained from the interview Mrs. A required support needs such as emotional, medication, and practical, which are crucial in the management of CKD. It is essential in identifying the requirements of the patient in advancing health and enhancing the quality of life. Loneliness for CKD patients leads to changes in moods; hence they should frequently socialize with people to help them manage their emotions and feelings. Besides, it is substantial to identify medication support for patients. According to Webster et al. (2017), CKD is a costly illness as it requires regular treatments and management practices that entail significant medication. Finally, practical support from friends and family is essential as CKD patients tend to suffer from depression. There exist a considerable connection between adherence to meal plan and depression events for CKD patients suggesting that practical support is vital in overcoming such challenges.

Week 4

Finally, this week mainly focused on resource location for CKD patients. It is substantial the patients receive the crucial resources that would help them in overcoming and managing the impacts of these issues. There exist various national resources in Palm County that could help Mrs. A in maintaining her health. Among the primary resources identified included King Smart, American Kidney Fund, and Renal Support Network. These entire resource platforms operate through interacting with other individuals and healthcare professionals through the internet or face to face meetings. The interaction performed in these platforms can enable the patient to focus on the recovery process and live a healthy life. Also, these resources are useful in delivering evidence-based information associated with CKD development, diagnosis, treatment, and management.

Nursing Diagnoses

1. Inadequate knowledge on practices of healthy living
2. Lack of frequent exercises.
3. Risk of an unbalanced diet.

Assessment Data (Objective and Subjective)

Mrs. A stated that the current treatments were effective in treating CKD. She stated that she had experienced challenges in having a regular meal plan as she does not take breakfast hence losing weight. Also, she said that she faces difficulties in sleeping as she often wakes up to take her meal at night. Mrs. A had a BP of 165/92mmHg, an HR of 94 bpm, and a BMI of 35.8.

Interview Results

The interview offered an excellent opportunity to examine the issue of CKD as experienced by a person of the most affected cultural group. The interview showed that age is a primary aspect associated with CKD. Associated with CKD, Mrs. A indicates issues with diabetes and hypertension. From the interview, it was apparent that Mrs. A has little knowledge about the illness and the associated approaches of management.

Desired Outcomes

The care plan pursues to guarantee that Mrs. A is conversant with knowledge on CKD and the linked comorbidities. Some of the desired outcomes include:

1. Achieve timely recovery.
2. Participate in practices that reduce the risk of other infections.
3. Recognize risk elements for CKD and various treatment methods.
4. Adjust to a healthy lifestyle practice such as exercise and balanced diets.

Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation in the care plan entails assessments of objectives. The evaluation criteria focus on the care plan goals based on the diagnoses.

1. Assessing the care plan based on the CKD level of knowledge. The patient should participate in health education to advance understanding of CKD and management.
2. Evaluating the objective of nutrition adherence on the level at which the meal plan integrates all vital concepts.

Actions and Interventions

1. Train the patient about CKD; causes, prevention, and risk factors
2. Develop a meal plan for patient adherence practices.
3. Observe patient’s substantial signs such as blood pressure, weight, and the rate of respiration.
4. Reducing fat intake diets.

Evaluation of Patient Outcomes

1. Achieve and maintain a standard level of blood glucose
2. Familiarize with healthy dietary and exercise practices.
3. Accomplish a healthy weight.

Strategies for the Family or Caregiver

In the care and management of CKD, the family plays a significant role in supporting Mrs. A. Therefore; it is vital to include their policies in the plan of care. Physical exercise is an essential health enhancement approach that can assist manage chronic illness. Caregivers or family can effectively participate in socializing to support the patients to achieve the desired outcomes in health (Howden et al., 2015). Also, family and caregivers can help in maintaining a preventive strategy as it is a significant aspect of CKD management. Medication use is substantial in the management of CKD to ensure the effectiveness of the physical exercise strategy for the patient. Finally, family or caregivers can engage in an educational approach to improve patient’s CKD knowledge.

Conclusion

Chronic Kidney Disease is a universal healthcare illness. The care plan for the disorder entails management practices such as lifestyle modifications. Managing CKD includes adopting lifestyle practices like diet and physical exercise modifications. The particular subjective and objective data, a plan of the care, demonstrates a broad method of managing CKD. The analysis has shown that integrating support systems, national resources, and patient education is vital in attaining the desired outcomes in health for a patient with CKD.

References

Berns, J. (2017). Patient education: Chronic kidney disease. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/chronic-kidney-disease-beyond-the-basics

Carney, E. F. (2020). The impact of chronic kidney disease on global health. Nature Reviews Nephrology, 16(5), 251.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41581-020-0268-7

Howden, E. J., Coombes, J. S., & Isbel, N. M. (2015). The role of exercise training in the management of chronic kidney disease. https://doi.org/10.1097/MNH.0000000000000165

Webster, A. C., Nagler, E. V., Morton, R. L., & Masson, P. (2017). Chronic kidney disease. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)32064-5