Resources for Patients & Social Workers
This page provides tools and resources to assist with providing care to dialysis patients. It contains important links with information to improve the quality of care given to patients.
Grievance Process
- Network 14 Grievance Process
- ESRD Network 14 Grievance Poster – English | Spanish
- De-escalation Toolkit
- IVD Discharge Guide
- When Patients Don’t Come to Dialysis
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Monthly Patients Education Flyers
- ESRD PFE Calendar – English | Spanish
- PFE January Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE February Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE March Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE April Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE May Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE June Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE July Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE August Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE September Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE October Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE November Handout – English | Spanish
- PFE December Handout – English | Spanish
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Managing Chronic Kidney Disease
LEARN MORE ABOUT MANAGING KIDNEY DISEASE
- Managing Chronic Kidney Disease
- Managing Chronic Kidney Disease: Take Charge of Your Health Video
- Eating Right for Chronic Kidney Disease
- Nutrition for Advanced Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults
- High Blood Pressure & Kidney Disease
- Chronic Kidney Disease Tests & Diagnosis
- Keeping Kidneys Safe – Know How Medicines Affect the Kidneys
- Kidney Disease in Children
- Your Kidneys & How They Work
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CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE
Did you know that one in three Americans is at risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and 96 percent of those with CKD are unaware they have the condition? By watching TMF’s free short video (available in English and Spanish), viewers can learn how to improve their kidney health and lower their risk for CKD. The video is family and patient friendly and especially important for people over 65. TMF encourages sharing this video with Medicare beneficiaries, family, caregivers and educators. Viewers will be prompted to take a short assessment survey before the video. For questions or more information, contact TMF QIN-QIO at KidneyHealth@tmf.org.
- Watch and Share Chronic Kidney Disease Video
- Guide to Detecting Delaying Progress of Chronic Kidney Disease
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Kidney School – Life Options Rehabilitation Program (LORAC)
- Kidney School will help you learn more about kidney disease, its treatment and ways to take an active role in your healthcare decision making.
Kidney Disease – National Kidney Foundation (NKF)
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Patient Videos – Inspirational Stories
ESRD Network of Texas Patient Advisory Committee would like to share their personal inspirational stories to all persons in the dialysis community. We hope you enjoy their videos and we will continue to present more patient stories for all patients, family members and caregivers.
- A transplant recipient and a caregiver offer insightful messages to all
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PODCAST
A Patient’s Story: How A Chronic Condition Led to Chronic Kidney Disease and How He Overcame It
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Information for Patients
BE INVOLVED! – AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY (AHRQ)
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Dialysis Patient Citizens Education Center
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FLUID OVERLOAD PROJECT
- You and Your Heart Poster – English
- You and Your Heart Poster – Spanish
- Brochure – English and Brochure – Spanish
Fluid Management Workbook
- Fluid Management Patient Workbook Module 1 – English – Spanish – last updated 2/06/2019
- Fluid Management Patient Workbook Module 2 – English – Spanish – last updated 2/06/2019
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MISSED TREATMENTS
- Missed Treatments Workbook
- Missing Patients Protocol
- Missing Patients Guidance Form
- Missed Treatment Fact Sheet, 2022 – English | Spanish
- Why to Comply? Missing Dialysis – English | Spanish
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National Kidney Foundation – Patient Programs and Services
- NKF Cares
- PEERS Lending Support: A national, telephone-based peer support program from NKF. Connects people who want support with people that have been there. Helps people adjust to living with chronic kidney disease, kidney failure, or a kidney transplant.
- Call 855-NKF-PEER or email nkfpeers@kidney.org
- NKF Patient Network
- Individualized Education
- Peer Support
- Easy way to get involved in research & innovation
- Access to clinical trials
- Open to all kidney disease patients age 18 years and above, including kidney transplant recipients and patients on dialysis
- Requires you to give written consent for research
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SELF CARE
- Are you cold? English and Spanish
- Restless Leg Syndrome – English | Spanish
- Don’t Let the Bed Bugs Bite Brochure – English | Spanish
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SUPPORT GROUPS
HOPELINE PEER SUPPORT PHONE LINE – RENAL SUPPORT NETWORK
- If you are a person with chronic kidney disease, family member or caregiver and don’t know what to expect, call us. Connect with another person who has lived successfully with kidney disease and can share their experience, strength and hope with you on what they have done to navigate this illness successfully.
- Call the HOPEline – (800) 579-1970 (toll-free) Monday through Friday from 10am to 8pm (PT)
- HOPELine en Español – (800) 780-4238 (toll-free) Monday through Friday from 10am to 8pm (PT) Support for Spanish speaking patients HOPELine en Espanol
- An illness is too demanding when you don’t have HOPE
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Calling all transplant recipients, living donors, family, and friends! Come share your story, give encouragement, support, and hope. See below for further details regarding our support group meetings:
Kidney Donor & Recipients Support Group
Transplant Support Group
Click here to join! All are Welcome!
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Treatment Adherence
- Are You Getting Enough Dialysis – Heartland Kidney Network
- Hemodialysis Dose and Adequacy
- Are You Shortening Your Dialysis Time? – Northwest Renal Network
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Peer Mentoring
- Peer Mentoring Overview Webinar
- Peer Mentoring Program Application
- Peer Mentoring Program
- Interested in Becoming a Patient Peer Mentor?
- Peer Mentoring Program Referral Form
- Interested in Being Paired With a Patient Peer Mentor?
- Why Your Facility Should Participate
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Mental Health
Mental Health Resources
- Good Mental Health is Ageless
- Texas Department of State Health Services Mental Health
- Texas Department of State Health Services Mental Health and Substance Abuse
- Mental Health in Texas
- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
- ESRD Personal Life Plan – English | Spanish
- ESRD Life Plan Match Game – English | Spanish
STRESS AWARENESS
April is Stress Awareness Month – Watch this Stress Awareness video for helpful tips on how to manage stress.
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ESRD National Coordinating Center (NCC) Resources
ESRD National Coordinating Center (NCC)
- Lifeline for a Lifetime: Planning for Your Vascular Access Guide- English and Spanish
- Questions to Help with Your Treatment Choices – A handout designed to help you develop questions to ask your healthcare team about your treatment options.
- Questions to Get You Started – A resource to help you develop questions to ask your healthcare team after you begin treatment.
- Preventing Peritonitis Peritonitis: Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention – This resource is designed to help you recognize the signs and symptoms of peritonitis, as well as provide information on how its treated.
- Be Heard: Tips for Talking with Your Care Team – This resource is designed to help you communicate with your care team members.
- Goal Setting: Getting Back to Me – This workbook is designed to help patients restore their sense of dignity and increase self-esteem through goal setting.
- ESRD NCC Mental Health Toolkit for Professionals – This toolkit can be used by any renal professional including the ESRD Networks, dialysis providers, and transplant programs. It was developed in conjunction with input and feedback from ESRD Network professionals and patient subject matter experts. The hope is that by informing themselves, sharing the resources, and managing their own well-being they can make a difference in the lives of the ESRD patients and families they serve. It is not intended to be given directly to patients, but instead by professionals to use in their work.
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LIFELINE FOR A LIFETIME – YOUR VASCULAR ACCESS
A healthy vascular access is very important to have successful dialysis treatments. Do the “One Minute Access Check” every day, so you can find any potential problems, get the help you need and it could save your lifeline.
HOW TO SAVE YOUR LIFELINE
At the links below, you can view the steps and tools for “one minute access check”. These will help you do your daily access check.
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Pediatric Patient Education
ABOUT MY KIDNEY
- Tips for Teens Living with Kidney Disease in English and Spanish
- All About Kidneys-Basics for Kids
- Children With Chronic Kidney Disease: Tips for Parents
- Better Kidney Health for Kids: Seven Golden Rules
- Children and Teenager’s Health
- Renal Support Network
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PEDIATRIC ACTIVITIES
- How The Body Works Word Bank – Answer Key
- How The Body Works Word Find Puzzle
- Did You Know? Color Activity
- Pediatric Coloring Activity
- Boy Activity and Girl Activity
- Boy Activity and Girl Activity in Spanish
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End of Life
- EOL Patient Flyer
- The Conversation Project – Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)
- Texas Specific DNR
- Texas Medical Power of Attorney