Explaining end-stage kidney disease and dialysis options - Outpatient clinic

CurtinYear 515 min + 2 min readingRenal & urologyChallengingPre-internship
  • Focused history
  • Full Mx
  • Explain a diagnosis

Ready

2 min reading, 15 min station, warning at 2 min

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Station - Instructions for candidate

You are an intern in the Renal Outpatient Clinic at a Perth tertiary hospital.

Wei Zhang is a 62-year-old farmer from the Wheatbelt who has had progressive kidney disease for several years. His kidney function has now declined to a critical level and he has come in today to discuss his treatment options. His recent blood work confirms he is at stage where renal replacement therapy is urgently needed.

Latest eGFR (this month)12 mL/min/1.73 m2 (down from 18 three months ago)
Serum creatinine487 umol/L
Urea18.5 mmol/L
Potassium4.9 mmol/L
Haemoglobin108 g/L
Urinary albumin:creatinine ratio280 mg/mmol
Blood pressure (today)148/92 mmHg, regular pulse 78

Your tasks are to:

  1. Take a focused history about his current symptoms, functional status and social situation.
  2. Explain his diagnosis and the urgent need for treatment, and present the four main renal replacement therapy options and the rural logistics of each.
  3. Explore his values, concerns and preferences for each treatment option.
  4. Outline a full management plan including next steps, follow-up arrangements and safety-netting.
  • You do NOT need to summarise your findings to the examiner.

This is a 15-minute station, with 2 minutes of reading time.

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