Maintenance of employment on dialysis.

This article describes the components of a multidisciplinary effort focused on promoting, among other goals, continued employment during end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treatment. The education and guidance of the patient begin during the pre-ESRD period, intensify through dialysis treatment, and continue even through posttransplantation follow-up. Such focused programs support patients in retaining their usual lifestyle, staying in their current jobs where possible, and maximizing self-esteem and quality of life.

Benefits of a multidisciplinary predialysis program in maintaining employment among patients on home dialysis.

We evaluated the benefits of a multidisciplinary predialysis intervention to help home dialysis patients maintain employment. This program was shown to be successful with in-center hemodialysis patients in a case-controlled study published in the American Journal of Kidney Disease in September, 1993. We looked at 30 patients on home dialysis (28 on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 2 on home hemodialysis) as of March, 1995. The age of the patients ranged from 28 to 63 years, with a mean of 46.8 years. Forty-three percent of the patients were diabetic. The patients went through a multidisciplinary predialysis program which consisted of: (1) psychosocial assessment, (2) education about dialysis and choice of modalities, (3) orientation to dialysis unit, and (4) counseling sessions with patient, significant family members, and others. During this time, patients were referred to the program approximately six months before beginning dialysis. There was continued collaboration among members of the multidisciplinary team. Of the 30 patients, 11 were already disabled when beginning dialysis. Of the 19 who were working once dialysis began, 14 maintained employment (3 diabetic), with 1 retiring and 4 becoming disabled. Therefore, 74% of patients maintained employment. In conclusion, employment was maintained by this predialysis multidisciplinary program.