Introduction: Chronic renal failure patients often experience fluid overload due to lack of compliance to fluid intake. One reason is that there has been no guidance counseling for cases of chronic renal failure who undergoing hemodialysis. The purpose of counseling is to improve fluid intake compliance in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study using pretest posttest group design. Sample size was 34 patients with inclusion criteria. Samples were enrolled with consecutive sampling. This study was conducted at Islamic Hospital Sultan Agung Semarang in May 2013. Fluid intake compliance was assessed from interdialysis weight gain (IDWG), self-efficacy, thirst and fluid intake. Data were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank test trials (p < 0.05), paired samples and Mann Whitney statistical test (p < 0.05).

Results: The results showed no significant difference in the aspects of IDWG with p (0.001) < 0.05%, self-efficacy with p (0.001) < 0.05, thirst with p (0.001) < 0.05, and fluid intake with (0.001) < 0.05 after given counseling.

Conclusion: In condition, fluid management counseling in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis significantly affect their fluid intake compliance. Hospitals need to prepare SOP on structured counseling for hemodialysis patients and on hemodialysis patients care as well as to facilitate regular meeting of chronic renal failure patients with hemodialysis.

Keywords: fluid management counseling, compliance, chronic renal failure, hemodialysis