Volume 22, May 2003
Table of Contents
A Call For Professional Advocacy and Quality Patient Care: The CNSW 2002 Membership Survey Results
Teri Arthur, MSW, LSW
Effectiveness of a Social Work Psychoeducational Program in Improving Adherence Behavior Associated With Risk of CVD in ESRD Patients
Joan Beder, DSW; Susan Mason, PhD; Stephanie Johnstone, LCSW, BLD; Mary Beth Callahan, ACSW/LMSW, ALP; Lynn LeSage, MSW, MPH
Download
Use of the SF-36 in Dialysis Treatment Planning
Marvin Withers, MSEd, LCSW
Download
Evaluating the Impact of a Physical Rehabilitation Program for Dialysis Patients
Stephanie Johnstone, LCSW, BCD
(Reprinted with permission from the March 2002 issue of Nephrology News and Issues.)
Setting Goals: An Integral Part of Self-Management
Patricia Vasta, PsyD, LCSW
Download
The Trauma of Life-Threatening Illness: End-Stage Renal Disease
Laurie Rosen, MSW
(Reprinted with permission from Dialysis & Transplantation, Vol. 31, No. 5, 2002.)
Coping With Pain: The Dialysis Patient's Perspective
Steven A. Iacono, LMSW
Download
CNSW abstracts from the National Kidney Foundation's 2003 Clinical Meetings
Abstracts From Original Articles
A Call for Professional Advocacy and Quality Patient Care: The CNSW 2002 Membership Survey Results
Teri Arthur, MSW, LSW, CNSW Program Chairperson, Renal Social Worker FMC North Avenue Dialysis
In 2002, 397 renal social workers completed a Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) membership survey and voiced their suggestions for services and programs. Enhanced professional advocacy for renal social workers and quality patient care ranked as the highest priorities for respondents. The CNSW Executive Committee is carefully considering these survey results to plan programming and services for members.
Effectiveness of a Social Work Psychoeducational Program in Improving Adherence Behavior Associated with Risk of CVD in ESRD Patients
Principal Investigator: Joan Beder, DSW, New Wurzweiler School of Social Work - New York; Co-Investigator: Susan Mason, PhD, Yeshiva University - New York; Intervention Design Consultant: Stephanie Johnstone, LCSW, BCD, Fresenius Medical Care - San Diego; Interventionalists: Mary Beth Callahan, ACSW/LMSW-ACP, Fresenius Medical Care, Farmer's Branch - Texas currently Dallas Transplant Institute; Lynne LeSage, MSW, MPH, Fresenius Medical Care - San Diego
The study reported in this article-the 2000-2001 Council of Nephrology Social Workers research project-demonstrated some significant outcomes indicating the importance of the nephrology social worker in impacting positive treatment outcomes on the renal team. A cognitive-behavioral intervention administered by the social workers, with psychoeducational components, was found to significantly improve levels of physical activity, medication compliance, and treatment attendance. The study was conducted between 20 hemodialysis centers within Fresenius Medical Care in Dallas and San Diego using an experimental design.
Download
Use of the SF-36 in Dialysis Treatment Planning
Marvin Withers MSEd, LCSW, James B. Harrigan Center for Dialysis, Colorado
This paper describes the use of the SF-36 in the treatment of dialysis patients. Patients in a small dialysis unit were administered the SF-36 at regular intervals. Resulting graphs were generated for each patient to see data for understanding and interpretation. Interventions were developed for problem areas indicated by low scores. These included both nursing and social work interventions as appropriate. The SF-36 was seen as a useful adjunct to more conventional clinical tools and expanded the information available on each patient.
Download
Setting Goals: An Integral Part of Self-Management
Patricia L. Vasta, PsyD, LCSW, Gambro Healthcare, Daytona Beach, Florida
Setting goals is an important step in assisting patients to manage their illness and achieve outcomes that are important to them. Too often the only goals set for patients have been clinical goals set by the staff, which may have little meaning for patients. This article briefly explores goal setting theory. An instance of assisting patients to set goals through the use of patient-centered care plans is described. Additional considerations including patients' readiness to change, health beliefs, and self-efficacy are discussed, and the process of setting goals is described. Brief discussions of monitoring, feedback, outcomes, and rewards are included.
Download
Coping with Pain: The Dialysis Patient's Perspective
Steven A. Iacono, LMSW, FMC Midtown Dialysis, Columbia, South Carolina
The presence of pain among the hemodialysis population and the use of analgesic medication for pain control was investigated. A simple survey was conducted with respondents from a random sample of persons treated with incenter hemodialysis in the state of South Carolina to determine patterns of analgesic use and general satisfaction with pain control. The survey results were descriptive in nature. The majority of respondents reported using analgesic medications and most believed that their physician did enough to control their pain. Possible abuse of these medications was noted and further investigation was recommended. The primary roles of the dialysis social worker in pain management were examined.
Download