At Sierra Este Dialysis Center, we understand patient care from a holistic approach, where emotional health is as important as physical health. Therefore, we have a specialized psychology service dedicated to supporting people with chronic kidney disease, their families, and the healthcare staff. The psychologist is part of the multidisciplinary team, and their work focuses on promoting psychological well-being, encouraging adherence to treatment, and improving the quality of life for all involved.
As general objectives of the psychology service, the aim is to increase the quality of care through a greater offering of professional services, as well as to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
This could be realized through the following specific objectives:
- Increase patient adherence to treatment (proper medication intake, diet and fluid intake control, attendance at all scheduled sessions).
- Acquisition of coping strategies and emotional management.
- Acquisition and training in social skills and assertive intrahospital communication.
- Reduce the number of extra dialysis sessions administered by the center.
- Address the emotional impact generated by the treatment, to facilitate the patient’s adaptation to HD. In this way, anxiety and frustration before dialysis are managed, and the patient is encouraged to attend the center in optimal physical and emotional conditions.
All of this has a direct impact on the development of the sessions, as:
- It ensures that the dialysis session proceeds without incidents, so that no extra attention from the healthcare staff is required, which could hinder other tasks.
- It reduces negative incidents related to vascular access.
- It decreases the need to take unscheduled medication during the session.
- Behavioral activation programs and improvement of the patient’s mood, reducing the occurrence of depressive episodes that significantly interfere with their treatment and prevent the management of self-care.
- Increase the patient’s satisfaction with their own life and environment, to reduce the occurrence of other pathologies and mitigate the impact of CKD.
- Adoption of healthy habits and quitting smoking, in order to improve the quality of life for the patient and their environment.
Therapeutic Intervention with the Patient
- Initial assessment of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral state upon admission to the center.
- Periodic follow-up through interviews, validated questionnaires (STAI, Beck, WHOQOL), and clinical observation.
- Individual intervention aimed at managing anxiety, depression, grief, and adaptation to chronic treatment.
- Group sessions to foster support among patients, emotional expression, and the building of support networks.
- Support during the transplant process and in cases of exclusion from the waiting list.
- Psychoeducation on healthy lifestyle habits, therapeutic adherence, nutrition, and fluid control.
- Promotion of coping strategies and resilience in the face of life changes derived from the illness.
Support for Family Members and Caregivers
- Assessment of the caregiver’s burden and detection of possible symptoms of emotional overload.
- Individual interviews to provide guidance and offer tools that promote self-care.
- Group interventions that address topics such as: boundaries in the caregiving relationship, stress management, nutrition for kidney patients, and balancing care with personal life.
- Prevention of dependency or infantilization dynamics of the patient.
- Promotion of a healthy family environment that supports treatment adherence and the well-being of all its members.
Support for Healthcare Staff
- Individual interventions to address emotional difficulties arising from working with chronic patients.
- Prevention and management of burnout syndrome.
- Group workshops on patient-centered communication, conflict resolution, and teamwork.
- Guidance on managing relational boundaries with patients to avoid countertransference.
- Spaces for reflection and support that promote a healthy and cooperative work environment.
Complementary Functions
The psychologist’s role in a dialysis center is key to humanizing the treatment, accompanying the patient in their process of adapting to chronic illness, and supporting both family members and healthcare professionals.
Their intervention not only improves treatment adherence but also increases the quality of life and emotional well-being of everyone involved in the process.
- Development and dissemination of protocols and psychological care guidelines specific to kidney patients.
- Coordination with other social and healthcare resources.
- Guidance and assistance with dependency, disability procedures, and community resources.
- Development of psychoeducational workshops in the ward: emotional management, relaxation, mindfulness, social skills, smoking cessation.
- Participation in research projects on mental health in hemodialysis patients.
- Training of psychology students in internships in collaboration with the University of Seville.