The lack in services of hemodialysis which use an educational-therapeutic focus, built from subject participation, alerted us to develop this study. The objectives of this research were to identify learning situations that serve as a basis for practicing health education; to describe the stages of an educational instrument that facilitates health education based on the needs of chronic renal disease patients. This qualitative study was carried out in September of 2006, using the focus group technique with six patients that needed hemodialysis. The data collected was submitted to content analysis. The participants revealed the need for more profound investigation of specific themes, such as the social question and sexuality. The educational instruments highlighted were the manual and the album with illustrations. Listening to the subjects allowed them to show their learning needs and to point out instruments and strategies to be used in the health education proposal.
Chronic renal insufficiency; Renal dialysis; Health education