By Bill Peckham
I am dismayed that dialyzors in the path of Irene have not been directed to use their emergency diet over this weekend.
It is being widely reported that power outages should be expected and that some outages will be prolonged. When exactly are the renal networks and dialysis providers planning to direct thier patients to strictly limit fluid and potassium? On Monday after they arrive at their unit to find the power is out?
Right now you need to start following an emergency diet if you think there is a chance your dialysis unit will be closed Monday or Tuesday.
Exactly! I mentioned this at the unit on Friday. We were given a copy of the diet but not told to start it RIGHT AWAY. It was common sense to me, knowing that any one of a number of things could keep me from my treatment on Monday. Other pts. I think were just too happy to not hear that they didn't have stricter restrictions than usual. Staff who shall remain nameless said : " I'm not here to babysit the pts" Staff where I go to dialysis are normally on top of every situation so I just don't understand. I also don't understand why it didn't occur to anyone but me that the diet needed to be started right away. Perhaps this information should be required to be posted and handed out to all pts. and families at regular intervals. It's giving me a headache! Lin.
Posted by: Linda Smith | August 27, 2011 at 10:00 PM