Neil: Peritoneal dialysis boot camp

Gorgeous Jasmine
We did more training today. I set the dialysis machine up from scratch, and am getting more confident with it. I connected, and disconnected the teddy bear. We also did some training on different types of infections and peritonitis, and how to recognise potential problems. It is essential that we take her temperature and blood pressure twice a day, and check her dialysis waste bag for cloudiness.Ruth did her first dressing change on the catheter exit site. Jasmine was very quiet as she had just finished a feed. She hardly cried at all as Ruth pulled off the old dressing, cleaned the exit site, and applied a new dressing. (Ruth: I cried more than Jasmine) We have to change the dressing every other day, and check for signs of infection.

Jasmine pulled her NG tube out again today. She is getting really fast. We turned round for two seconds and she had grabbed hold of it and pulled it out. We gave her all her feeds and meds orally through the day, but she will have the tube put back in overnight.

Jasmine was 3.005 kg this evening, but she had just had a feed, and was retaining some water, as her dialysis schedule was shorter overnight. The target is to put on 150g or 200g a week. Currently she is putting on 50g a week, so we have to increase that. The idea is that if she is on a continuous pump feed she won’t wake up in the night, and won’t waste energy crying or sucking on her bottle.

A five day old boy arrived on the ward today. Jasmine is no longer the youngest child.

One Response to “Neil: Peritoneal dialysis boot camp”

  1. Aarti says:

    She’s so gorgeous !! When can I come and meet her ??

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