Lived Experiences of Dialysis Nurses in Caring for an Aging Population with End-Stage Renal Disease Undergoing Dialysis Treatment as a Basis for Implications for Improving the Quality of Care

This study explored the lived experiences of dialysis nurses caring for an aging population with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as a basis for improving the quality of care. A descriptive qualitative research design was used, involving 11 dialysis nurses from dialysis centers in General Santos City selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed eight key themes: duality of nursing work, holistic dialysis practice, elderly care complexity, workload and resource strain, personal emotional coping, team-based adaptation, professional development support, and institutional support gaps. The results showed that nurses experience their work as both physically demanding and meaningful, requiring a balance between technical skills and emotional care. Challenges such as complex patient conditions, heavy workload, and limited institutional support were found to affect the delivery of care. The study concludes that strengthening institutional support, improving staffing, and providing continuous training are important in enhancing nurse well-being and ensuring quality dialysis care for elderly patients.