ORLANDO – During his presentation at the American Nephrology Nurses' Association 46^th annual symposium, entitled "Transforming renal care: harnessing the power of team-based multidisciplinary approach to achieve dialysis targets," Ajay Srivastava, MD, described how rounding with the full dialysis staff, not just the doctor, improved patient care and helped patients achieve dialysis targets.

Srivastava said he rounds with the nurses, social workers, dietitians, and often the patient care technicians. He said that having each member of the team review the labs together makes it easier to achieve goals. Recommendation from other team members, he said, helps him develop protocols. And it is easier to recognize and address barriers to care as a team. The quality of care provided to a patient, he said, reflects the overall performance of the team.

He offered some tips to improving care in a dialysis facility:

• All opinions matter. Listen to the entire team
• Try to be open-minded
• Keep an open-minded non-judgmental attitude toward patients.
• Reflectively listen to patients.
• Development mutual respect with your patients and colleagues.
• Keep open communication between physicians and staff.
• Avoid disagreement in front of patients.
• Congratulate patient compliance.
• Leadership trickles downward, and upward too.
• Bring solid morale to a clinic (patients adopt the morale of the clinic).
• Be inspired by your patients and colleagues.
• Understand that someone is always watching.
• Get proper sleep. In order to maximize patient care, you must take care of yourself.
• Identify at least one good thing that happens everyday

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