The Current State of Kidney Supportive Care in Nephrology Nursing Practice: A Literature Review

Nephrol Nurs J. 2024 Jan-Feb;51(1):25-46.ABSTRACTKidney disease is associated with a high physical and psychological symptom burden. For patients whose condition is more compromised, receiving dialysis as a life-sustaining therapy may not improve longevity or quality of life. Palliative care for patients with kidney disease (also termed kidney supportive care [KSC]) is appropriate for this patient population. Nephrology nurses working in dialysis are well positioned to talk with patients about what patients perceive constitutes a meaningful life or death. A literature review was undertaken to find evidence about if and how nephrology nurses engage in KSC with patients receiving dialysis. Based on the 29 articles included in this review, the overarching finding was nephrology nurses working in dialysis are not routinely engaging in KSC. Reasons for this are varied and warrant further investigation.PMID:38456726
Source: Nephrology Nursing Journal - Category: Nursing Authors: Source Type: research