THE NEEDS IDENTIFIED IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE SUBMITTED TO HEMODIALYSIS

Abstract

Objective: To identify needs presented by patients diagnosed with chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis treatment. Methodology: Descriptive study with a qualitative approach, carried out with adult patients of both sexes, with chronic kidney disease under hemodialysis treatment. The semi-structured interview technique with eight questions was used and the content analysis proposed by Bardin was applied, with its three stages: preanalysis, exploration of the material and treatment of the results, to extract the analysis categories and interpret them. The interviews were closed when the data was saturated. Results: From the conducted interviews, 5 categories of analysis emerged: feelings arising from the discovery of hemodialysis, meanings attributed to hemodialysis, experiences during the process of hemodialysis, changes resulting from the need to hemodialysis treatment and situations that soften the process of hemodialysis. Imbalances in psychic needs were identified, such as sadness, fear, anger, pain, revolt, worries, anxiety, feelings of impotency, low self-esteem and impaired self-image. Possibility of imbalance in biological needs was also identified, such as nutrition, hydration and sexuality. Social needs were also evidenced, specially, leisure, gregarious, affection and freedom. The spiritual need, when balanced, family and health support, were described as factors capable of mitigating the impacts resulting from hemodialysis treatment. Final considerations: Patients with chronic kidney disease have unique needs that go beyond the disease. Therefore, nurses need to be alert to psychobiological, psychosocial and psycho-spiritual demands, and act to minimize those that are unbalanced and empower those capable of helping them to experience the hemodialysis process.