Question

The nurse is teaching a client receiving peritoneal dialysis about the reason dialysis solution is warmed before it is instilled into the peritoneal cavity. Which information will the nurse share with the client?

Answer 1

The dialysis solution is warmed to body temperature to avoid discomfort and increase diffusion efficiency. During peritoneal dialysis, waste products are removed from the blood by moving from a higher to a lower concentration area facilitated by warming the dialysate.

Step-by-step explanation:

The warmth of the dialysis solution plays a crucial role in peritoneal dialysis. The solution is normally warmed to the body’s natural temperature to avoid the discomfort that can be caused by infusing a cold solution into the peritoneal cavity. Moreover, warming the solution improves the efficiency of the diffusion process in which waste products like urea are removed from the blood. In dialysis, the principle of diffusion is utilized where substances naturally move from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. In the case of hemodialysis, the dialysate in the upper compartment of the dialyzer tends to have a lower solute concentration compared to the blood, facilitating the movement of urea from the blood into the dialysate.