Effect of Intradialytic Exercises Program for Nurses on Peripheral Muscle Cramps and perfusion among Children Undergoing Hemodialysis

Abstract

Background : Muscle cramps and impaired peripheral perfusion are the most common complications experienced by children undergoing hemodialysis. Intradialytic exercises are the best measures to reduce muscle cramps which occurring during hemodialysis to increase the cardiac output, enhancing perfusion and facilitating oxygen demand of the skeletal muscles. Aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of intradialytic exercises program for nurses on peripheral muscle cramps and peripheral perfusion among children undergoing hemodialysis. Setting: The study was conducted at Children Renal Dialysis Unit at Benha University Hospital. Design: A quasi-experimental design was used to conduct the study. Subjects: Sample (I) A convenient sample of (30) nurses was selected from the previously mentioned setting, Sample (2) A purposive sample of 36 children undergoing hemodialysis. Tools of data collection: Five tools were used; Tool I : Nurses characteristics and children bio-sociodemographic data included three parts: (1) The studied nurses’ characteristics, (2 ) Studied children characteristics (3) Clinical data of children undergoing hemodialysis, Tool II: Knowledge assessment questionnaire, Tool III : Intradialytic exercises checklist, Tool IV: Muscle cramp questionnaire chart Tool V : Assessment checklist for clinical features of impaired peripheral perfusion. Results: There is a highly statistical significant difference between frequency and duration of muscle cramps, level of pain, leg temperature and discomfort pre and post-intradialytic exercises program implementation. There was high statistical significant difference between clinical features of impaired peripheral perfusion pre and post-intradialytic exercises program. Conclusion: The majority of the studied nurses had good level of knowledge and satisfactory level of practices post-intradialytic exercises program implementation compared to pre-intradialytic exercises program implementation Recommendations: Organizing continuous training programs for nurses to reinforce intradialytic exercises for hemodialysis children. Structured training program can be provided to children undergoing hemodialysis on active intradialytic exercises.