Abstract:
Background: Chronic Kidney disease is a public health problem which affect patient directly
and family members indirectly. Family members take responsibility in caring patient with
ESRD. The family care giving is grouped into the domains in which the caregiver assist the
patient with nursing and medical care, household/family tasks, self-care tasks, mobility;
provision of emotional and social support, advocacy and care coordination; and surrogacy.
The immediate and extended family members experiences physical, emotional and social
challenge while providing care for the patients suffering with Chronic Kidney Disease
(CKD).
Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of caring and support
need of family caregivers of patients with end stage renal diseases, undergoing hemodialysis
at selected hemodialysis units in Rwanda.
Methodology: The phenomena of family care giving were explored in this study. This study
used a phenomenological exploratory qualitative design to explore the experience of caring
and support need of family caregivers of patient with ESRD. Purposive sampling was used
to access 12 family caregivers with a lived experience of caring patient with ESRD on HD.
Data was collected using semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative content was used to
identify prominent themes and Data was organized, coded, and categories and themes were
created to describe all aspects of each the content.
Result: Five major themes were emerged from the analysis of the transcripts: “Personnel
issues”, “Spiritual issues”, “Sense of satisfaction”, “financial issues” and “need for policy
change theme need emerged”.
Conclusion: The role of the family caregiver in caring this patient exposes him to a lot of
stress. Nurses should use the findings to support the family caregiver of patients undergoing
hemodialysis.
