n shown to result in negative consequences. Education of the patient regarding nutritional and other aspects of kidney failure is linked to improved outcomes.
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the RenalTouch System on dialysis patients' understanding of nutrition/dietary management and dialysis treatment.
The following research questions will guide the present study:
Does a dialysis patients' use of the RenalTouch System, while receiving regular dialysis treatments, improve their knowledge base of various aspects of nutrition and dietary management?
Does this software improve the dialysis patients' understanding of vascular access, anemia management, and other aspects of dialysis treatment?
Hypothesis 1: Post-test scores for patients receiving the RenalTouch System programs will be significantly higher than their pre-test scores regarding nutritional/dietary management information.
Hypothesis 2: Post-test scores for patients receiving the RenalTouch System programs will be significantly higher than their pre-test scores regarding dialysis treatment information.
Hypothesis 3: Post-test scores for patients receiving the RenalTouch System programs will be significantly higher than post-test scores for controls, regarding nutritional/dietary management information.
Hypothesis 4: Post-test scores for patients receiving the RenalTouch System programs will be significantly higher than post-test scores for controls, regarding dialysis treatment information.
Nutritional/Dietary Management Information
For this study nutritional/dietary management is defined as scores on the relevant RenalTouch System module quizzes. These will include quizzes for the following programs: Introduction; Protein; Sodium and Fluid; Phosphorus, Calcium, PTH, and Vitamin D; Potassium' Vitamins and Herbs; and Calories.
For this study dialysis treatment information is defined as scores on the relevant Ren...