Final answer:
To care for a patient with ESRD who has an arteriovenous fistula, it is essential to keep the affected arm dry to prevent infection and maintain the access site. Hemodialysis requires frequent sessions, and is performed under the direct supervision of healthcare professionals.
Step-by-step explanation:
Care for a Patient with an Arteriovenous Fistula
For a patient with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD), an arteriovenous fistula is created surgically to facilitate hemodialysis. This is a direct connection between an artery and a vein to enhance vascular access. In terms of patient care, it is crucial to protect the integrity of the fistula. One key intervention includes keeping the arm with the arteriovenous fistula dry. The rationale behind this is to prevent infection and to ensure that the access site remains uncompromised by potential contaminants in water. It is also important to avoid wearing tight clothing, or carrying heavy objects with that arm, which could potentially damage the fistula or reduce blood flow.
During hemodialysis, the patient's blood is passed through a machine that cleanses it of waste products like urea using a cellophane dialysis membrane. Since the kidneys are unable to perform this filtration naturally, hemodialysis is an essential, life-sustaining process that is usually performed multiple times a week under the direct supervision of a registered nurse or a trained dialysis technician.