Creating a therapeutic environment in a pediatric renal unit.

Creating and maintaining a therapeutic patient environment has been the responsibility of nurses since the days of Florence Nightingale. Achieving this environment for children with renal disease and their families can, however, be a complex task. This article addresses a number of factors that must be considered in planning a new pediatric unit or renovating an established one. Useful strategies leading to a therapeutic environment in a pediatric nephrology unit are described as well.