The nurse is caring for a patient with acute kidney injury who is being treated with hemodialysis.The patient asks if he will need dialysis for the rest of his life.Which of the following would be the best response?

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Renal dysfunction is potentially reversible during the initiation phase.This phase spans several hours to 2 days,during which time the normal renal processes begin to deteriorate,but actual intrinsic renal damage has not yet occurred.During the maintenance phase,intrinsic renal damage is established,and the GFR stabilizes at approximately 5 to 10 mL/min.This phase usually lasts 8 to 14 days,but it may last up to 11 months.The longer a patient remains in this stage,the slower the recovery and the greater the chance of permanent renal damage will be.The recovery phase is the period during which the renal tissue recovers and repairs itself.A gradual increase in urine output and an improvement in laboratory values occur.Recovery may take as long as 4 to 6 months.

The Nurse Is Caring for a Patient with Acute Kidney