What will indicate to the nurse that a peritoneal dialysis treatment is effective?

The effectiveness of peritoneal dialysis can be indicated by decreased serum creatinine levels. In patients with kidney dysfunction or failure, serum creatinine serves as a key marker of kidney function. When dialysis is effective, it improves the body's ability to filter out waste products, leading to lower serum creatinine levels. This reduction signifies that the dialysis is adequately removing waste and excess fluids from the body, reflecting improved renal function or overall metabolic status.

While less edema in the legs, increased urine output, and weight loss can indicate other aspects of patient improvement, they are not specific indicators of the effectiveness of peritoneal dialysis. For instance, edema may decrease due to other reasons unrelated to dialysis effectiveness, increased urine output might not occur in patients who depend entirely on dialysis, and weight loss does not necessarily correlate with improved kidney function directly but could also occur for various reasons. Thus, decreased serum creatinine levels remain the most precise indicator of the effectiveness of peritoneal dialysis treatment.