Today was my last day shadowing Shannon Clark at Southwest Wake Dialysis. I started out doing the normal rounds on the patients with Shannon Clark. I got to see the different parts of the machine and the different levels that are monitored by the machine and how Mrs. Clark reads each level and then decides what the patient needs to do. She explained to me that they sometimes listen and other times do not, and it is their life so they ultimately have control over what they want to do and understand the consequences.
I also got to learn more about the transportation many of the patients require to take them home after dialysis and how the drivers can be a pain sometimes. The drivers only make minimum wage so the do not have sympathy for dialysis patients who already have to sit through dialysis for 4 hours for 3 days a week. After they have dialysis, the needles need to be taken out and then need to apply constant pressure for 15 minutes to the area after their 4 hours is up. They then also have to weigh themselves again at the end of their treatment, so this whole process takes a while and the transportation drivers arrive right at the time they get off dialysis so they become impatient and leave.
I also got to see how Shannon Clark deals with dementia in patients. They often cannot remember where they are or anything in their past, which is why Mrs. Clark says she hates dementia.
I also got to see how the dietician, social worker, and nurse practitioner all work together to discuss what to do for certain patients. They are all equally important but handle and specialize in different things and thus it is very important that they all talk to each other because care is multifaceted. They also talked to me about how they became a professional in their field, and it was very interesting to listen to.
Overall, dialysis was very interesting and cool. I absorbed so much while I was shadowing Shannon Clark and am very thankful for this opportunity!