Kidney Failure: Your Healthcare Team

The members of your team

Here are some people you might meet on your healthcare team:

Nephrologist. A doctor who treats kidney problems. They decide what treatment is best for you and check how it’s working.

Primary care doctor. A doctor who helps you stay healthy. They also treat you when you are sick or have long-term health problems.

Advanced practitioner. This can be a nurse practitioner (NP) or a physician assistant (PA). They work with your kidney doctor or primary care doctor.

Registered nurse (RN). A nurse who works with your doctors. They help manage your care and teach you about your treatment. Some nurses also give dialysis treatments.

Dialysis technician. A person who helps give you dialysis treatment.

Surgeon. A doctor who does surgery. They may place a dialysis access or do a kidney transplant.

Dietitian or nutritionist. A person who teaches you which foods and drinks are good for you and which ones to avoid.

Social worker. A person who helps with paperwork, insurance, work, family, and stress.

Pharmacist. A person who knows all about your medicines. They teach you how and when to take them and what side effects to watch for.