Effect of Self-Learning Package on Knowledge, Practice and Clinical Outcomes for Arteriovenous Fistula Patients with Renal Failure

Background: Arteriovenous fistula is a lifeline which the hemodialysis patients need totake care of it. So, Self-learning package is a perfect individualized and face to facemethod of learning to maintain arteriovenous fistula functional status and prevent itsrelated complications. Aim: was to evaluate the effect of self-learning package onknowledge, practice and clinical outcomes for arteriovenous fistula patients with renalfailure. Design and Setting; A quasi-experimental study was conducted in the DialysisUnit of student hospital and Dialysis Unit at Tanta International Hospital both affiliated toTanta University Hospitals. A convenience sampling of (60) patients receivinghemodialysis through arteriovenous fistula, were divided into two equal study and controlgroups. Tools: three tools were used for data collection; Tool (I) Structured interviewschedule, Tool (II) Assessment of Self-Care Behaviors with Arteriovenous Fistula inHemodialysis (III) Index of independence of activities of daily living at AVF limb siteand Tool (IV) Arteriovenous Fistula access site related complications assessment tool.Results; the main results revealed that there was a highly significant improvement in totalknowledge level among study group patients,improvement in the patients' total self-carebehaviors level and Furthermore, improvement in the patients' pain severity level.Conclusion: Self learning package had an effect on improving knowledge, self-carebehaviors and decrease pain among arteriovenous fistula patients with renal failureRecommendations: encourage patient compliance to self-learning package & furtherstudies to be conducted on a larger sample size