Nephrologists (Kidney Doctors)
A nephrologist is a doctor with special training in treating and managing kidney diseases. There are several nephrologists in the Renal Care service who care for the patients in the Main Renal Unit and the Satellite Units. Therefore, you may not always see the same doctor at each treatment.
Nurses
Renal (sometimes called Nephrology) nurses specialize in the care of patients with kidney disease. They are responsible for assessing, teaching and supporting people with kidney disease. Different nurses will care for you on different treatment days, depending on the needs of all the patients in the unit as a whole.
Pharmacists
Pharmacists regularly review your medications to ensure you are taking safe and effective medications at the appropriate times. They are involved in making drug therapy decisions with you and your renal team. If you have questions about your medications, please speak to the renal Pharmacist
Social Workers
The social worker is available to provide support to you and your family. Social workers can help with many things:
- transition to transplant, home dialysis, or hemodialysis
- transportation to dialysis
- available resources
- relationship issues
- housing, finances, issues with employment
- advance care planning
- and much more!
If you would like to speak to a social worker, please tell your nurse.
Dietitians
The dietitian will support you to adjust your diet, as needed, throughout your renal journey. The dietitian regularly follows your bloodwork, and when necessary, will provide information on why changes to your intake might be needed. They will help you to determine changes that you can make to keep your blood values in a good range and help you to keep healthy. If you have any questions about your diet, please call your dietitian and/or have a nurse contact them.
Independent Dialysis Coordinator
The Independent Dialysis Coordinator provides patient education regarding the various renal replacement therapies available. They help guide you and your caregivers through making decisions during initial and follow-up conversations with you and your caregivers. They will help you in deciding on the treatment modality that’s best for your lifestyle.
Body Access Coordinator (Vascular Access)
The Body Access Coordinator provides patients with education on dialysis access and works closely with a surgeon to plan your care.
Clinical Engineers
If you are doing home hemodialysis, the clinical engineer conducts an initial home visit to assess your home environment, including water sampling, electrical, and plumbing assessments for proper installation of the dialysis machine.
