Karen Allsopp discusses dialysis, fluid management and pain relief in emergency department patients with chronic and end-stage renal disease

Patients with end-stage renal disease can present to unscheduled care settings for different reasons, but are managed in the same way. This article aims to increase emergency nurses’ knowledge of the main areas of concern and management associated with this condition, including fluid management, blood transfusion, pain control and hyperkalaemia. The article also includes a case study to illustrate how nurses can put this knowledge into practice.