As the only pediatric dialysis unit in the state, Children’s of Alabama’s hemodialysis unit is used to being busy. But with COVID-19, “Our census has doubled,” said Children’s nephrologist Sahar Fathallah-Shaykh, M.D. One reason is that transplants were paused during the height of the pandemic, leaving many children who might have been able to stop dialysis forced to continue.
Another reason is that more infants born with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are surviving because of new equipment capable of providing them dialysis. “We have seen many patients with CKD surviving who, just a few years ago, had no chance of surviving,” Dr. Fathallah-Shaykh said. Because these infants are so small, they must come to the hospital up to five times a week for the procedure, compared to three times a week for older children. Once infants are older, the team tries to transition them to peritoneal dialysis at home; but babies may have medical contraindications that require continuing on hemodialysis.
The impact on the staff is significant, she said. “It’s a challenge.” Dialysis charge nurse Suzanne White, RN, ECP agrees. “It takes a lot of coordination to schedule treatments for 18 patients,” she said, particularly when treatment times last up to four hours. “Our days last 10 to 12 hours,” she said.
One reason caring for infants on dialysis calls for intense attention, said Dr. Fathallah-Shayk, is that “nurses are at the bedside the entire time monitoring these babies. Babies move a lot, and if they move, the dialysis may not work as well.” The nurses console the babies, try to distract them and sometimes even hold them while they are dialyzed.
The team includes a child life specialist who also tries to distract the infants during dialysis; social workers who support the families, including coordinating transportation and ensuring families keep their appointments; a dietician to help with nutrition and ensure proper growth; and a pharmacist to help with medications. “We all work as a team to make this happen,” Dr. Fathallah-Shayk said, “otherwise we couldn’t do it.”
And, said White, “we have a good support system from the administration on down,” which helps avoid burnout. The unit also added more staff in anticipation of continued growth. “We are trying to coordinate their care to the best of our ability, troubleshoot and really communicate and work with each other,” she said.
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