Preventing acute kidney injury

Preventing Acute Kidney Injury in Hospital

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is sudden damage to the kidneys that causes them to not work properly. It can range from minor loss of kidney function to complete kidney failure. AKI normally happens as a complication of another serious illness. It’s not the result of a physical blow to the kidneys, as the name might suggest. This type of kidney damage is usually seen in older people who are unwell with other conditions where the kidneys are also affected.

If you are at risk of AKI, you will be monitored with regular blood tests. It is also useful to check how much urine you are passing, which is recorded to check there is a balance with how much you are drinking.

If you have warning signs of AKI such as vomiting or producing little urine, this will require immediate investigation and treatment. If you are dehydrated, or at risk of dehydration, you may need to be given fluids via a drip and or have some of your medication paused.

If you feel thirsty, please tell the nurse in charge as this may be a sign you are dehydrated. If you are unable to tell us what drinks you like, please make sure you have a person-centred care communication tool completed and it is passed to the ward staff.