Are sex differences in the outcome of peritoneal dialysis explained by nurse assistance? A cohort study with data from the Registre de Dialyse Péritonéale de Langue Française.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate sex differences in peritoneal dialysis (PD) outcomes and to explore direct and indirect effects of nurse-assisted PD on outcomes. METHODS: This was a retrospective study using data from the Registre de Dialyse Péritonéale de Langue Française of incident PD patients between 2005 and 2016. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to analyse transfer to haemodialysis (HD), death, PD failure, peritonitis and renal transplantation. Mediation analyses with a counterfactual approach were carried out to evaluate natural direct and indirect effects of sex on transfer to HD and peritonitis, with nurse-assisted PD as a mediator a priori. RESULTS: Of the 14 659 patients included, there were 5970 females (41%) and 8689 males (59%). Women were more frequently treated by nurse-assisted PD than men [2926/5970 (49.1%) versus 3357/8689 (38.7%)]. In the multivariable analysis, women had a lower risk of transfer to HD [cause-specific hazard ratio {cs-HR} 0.82 {95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.88}], death [cs-HR 0.90 (95% CI 0.85-0.95)], peritonitis [cs-HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.78-0.87)], PD failure [cs-HR 0.86 (95% CI 0.83-0.90)] and a lower chance of undergoing transplant [cs-HR 0.83 (95% CI 0.77-0.90)] than men. There was a direct effect of sex on the risk of transfer to HD [cs-HR 0.82 (95% CI 0.82-0.83)], with an indirect effect of nurse-assisted PD [cs-HR 0.97 (95% CI 0.96-0.99)]. Nurse-assisted PD had no indirect effect on the risk of peritonitis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that compared with men, women have a lower risk of both transfer to HD and peritonitis. Mediation analysis showed that nurse assistance was a potential mediator in the causal pathway between sex and transfer to HD.

Nonsurgical and Minimally Invasive Correction of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Complications.

Peritoneal dialysis catheter complications that require nonsurgical or noninvasive correction by peritoneal dialysis (PD) nurses or practitioner are reviewed. Topics reviewed include compromised PD fluid flow, pericatheter fluid leakage, mechanical integrity disruption, catheter extrusion, and exit site/tunnel complications.

Impact of the implementation of an assisted peritoneal dialysis service on peritoneal dialysis initiation.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information available on the impact that provision of an assisted peritoneal dialysis (PD) service has on the initiation of PD. The aim of this study was to assess this impact in a centre following initiation of assisted PD in 2011. METHODS: This retrospective, single-centre study analysed 1576 patients incident to renal replacement therapies (RRTs) between January 2002 and 2017. Adjusted Cox regression with a time-varying explanatory variable and a Fine and Gray model were used to examine the effect of assisted PD use on the rates and cumulative incidence of PD initiation, accounting for the non-linear impact of RRT starting time and the competing risks (transplant and death). RESULTS: Patients starting PD with assistance were older than those starting unassisted: median (interquartile range): 70.0 (61.5-78.3) versus 58.7 (43.8-69.2) years old, respectively. In the adjusted analysis assisted PD service availability was associated with an increased rate of PD initiation [cause-specific hazard ratio (cs-HR) 1.78, 95% confidence interval 1.21-2.61]. During the study period, the rate of starting PD fell before flattening out. Transplantation and death rates increased over time but this did not affect the fall in PD initiation [for each year in the study cs-HR of starting PD 0.95 (0.93-0.98), sub-distribution HR 0.95 (0.94-0.97)]. CONCLUSIONS: In a single-centre study, introducing an assisted PD service significantly increased the rate of PD initiation, benefitting older patients most. This offsets a fall in PD usage over time, which was not explained by changes in transplantation or death.

Effect of nurse-led food exchange intervention for patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis
.

AIM: We aimed to apply nurse-led food exchange model intervention to peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and verify its effectiveness. BACKGROUND: Protein-energy malnutrition is a prominent problem in patients on PD, and it has been estimated that 40% of PD patients suffer from malnutrition to some extent. INTRODUCTION: The rate of malnutrition among PD patients has been relatively high in recent years. Although a lot of effort has been made to alter the situation, an effective method has yet to be implemented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We recruited 142 patients according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria and divided them into study group (n = 71) and control group (n = 71) using a random-number table generated by SPSS22.0. The control group received routine dietary guidance and instruction while the study group received nurse-led food exchange intervention. The subjective global assessment (SGA) scale scores, nutrition parameter, and dialysis efficacy indicators between the two groups were compared at baseline and after 12 months of intervention. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in all dimensions at the baseline measures (p > 0.05). However, after 12 months of intervention, the study group represented a higher score of SGA while the control group declined, which was significantly different (p = 0.022). The study group had an improved level of body mass index, triceps skinfold thickness, middle-arm muscle circumference, serum albumin, prealbumin, and normalized protein catabolic rate, while the control group showed decreased levels, and these results were significantly different (p = 0.001, p = 0.019, p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.043, respectively). Moreover, blood urea nitrogen declined in the study group and increased in the control group, which was significantly different (p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: Nurse-led food exchange model intervention improved nutrition condition of PD patients dramatically. Implications for nursing and/or health policy: Our study provides a basis for health policy designers to develop nutrition programs and encourage clinical nurses to participate in PD patients' diet management.

Knowledge Acquisition: What Do Our Patients Receiving Peritoneal Dialysis Really Know about Albumin Consumption?

Patients receiving peritoneal dialysis historically have difficulty keeping albumin and phosphorus levels within therapeutic ranges on a consistent basis. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess if patients receiving peritoneal dialysis had a working nutritional knowledge related to albumin levels and to determine if increasing egg consumption would result in an increase of albumin levels. This study was conducted using a prospective quantitative pre-test/post-test knowledge test and assessing the recorded pre-albumin and pre-phosphorus lab values from the electronic medical record, which are drawn each month, and compare them over a one-month period. A convenience sample collection was conducted among 30 adult individuals receiving peritoneal dialysis. Findings in this study suggest that education continues to be a key component for positive outcomes for this patient population.

The Peritoneal Dialysis Transfer Set Replacement Procedure.

Peritoneal dialysis transfer sets (extension lines) are replaced every six to nine months to minimize peritoneal dialysis catheter complications. The aim of this study was to compare a revised non-bag transfer set exchange procedure with the standard bag exchange procedure on nursing time, costs, and safety. Thirty-three people were randomized to two groups - a standard bag exchange procedure group (n = 16) and a non-bag transfer set exchange procedure group (n = 17). The standard bag exchange procedure took a median of 32 minutes (interquartile range [IQR] 25 to 38 minutes) compared to the non-bag transfer set exchange procedure of 6 minutes (IQR 4 to 8 minutes) (p Ò 0.0001). There was one episode of peritonitis in each group within the 72-hour follow-up period. The average cost of the non-bag transfer set exchange procedure was $24.54 lower, a 37% cost reduction. This study has shown the revised non-bag transfer set replacement procedure appears to be safe, consume less participant and staff time, and decreases costs.

Factors associated with nurse assistance among peritoneal dialysis patients: a cohort study from the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry.

Background: No information is available regarding nurse-assisted peritoneal dialysis (PD) in non-elderly subjects. This study was carried out to estimate the rate of nurse-assisted PD among non-elderly patients and to assess which individual and centre factors were associated with nurse-assisted PD. The other objective was to estimate the magnitude of the centre effect on the utilization of nurse-assisted PD using hierarchical modelling. Methods: This was a retrospective study based on data from the French Language Peritoneal Dialysis Registry. Patients incident on PD > 18 and < 65 years of age were included. Results: There were 2269 incidents of PD initiation between January 2008 and December 2012 in 127 PD centres with 114 (5%) on family-assisted PD and 272 (12%) on nurse-assisted PD. At the individual level, compared with autonomous patients, nurse assistance was associated with age {odds ratio [OR] 1.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51-2.13]}, gender [OR 0.47 (95% CI 0.35-0.64)], comorbidities and underlying nephropathy. There was significant heterogeneity between centres in the nurse assistance utilization (variance of random effect 0.12). At the centre level, the type of centre, centre experience, centre organization and private nurse density were not associated with nurse-assisted PD. Conclusions: The rate of nurse-assisted PD among non-elderly patients was 12%. There was a significant centre effect in the utilization of nurse assistance that was not explained by the centres' characteristics. Nurse-assisted PD utilization in non-elderly patients is associated with patient characteristics and also with centre practices.

The Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation's contribution to the improvement of AKI management in developing countries using peritoneal dialysis.

Professional organizations, such as kidney foundations, have been active for over half a century in the field of nephrology, serving as the basic institutions for advocacy, disease education, prevention, and treatment. These organizations have focused efforts in four areas: supporting the training of clinical specialists, raising awareness about kidney disease, improving patient outcomes, and organizing continuing medical education. These activities, while essential for the success of nephrology organizations, do not usually initiate renal service programs in the neediest of places. To remedy the lack of renal programs in many developing countries, the Sustainable Kidney Care Foundation (SKCF) was founded with the objective of establishing treatment programs for acute kidney injury (AKI) in areas of the world where none exist. Today SKCF is active in 5 sub-Saharan African countries and is growing.

Educational strategies and challenges in peritoneal dialysis: a qualitative study of renal nurses' experiences.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to explore renal nurses' experiences, strategies and challenges with regard to the patient education process in peritoneal dialysis. BACKGROUND: Patient education in peritoneal dialysis is essential to developing a successful home-based peritoneal dialysis program. In this area research is scarce and there is a particular lack of focus on the perspective of the renal nurse. DESIGN: Qualitative design formed by thematic qualitative text analysis. METHODS: Five group interviews (n = 20) were used to explore the challenges peritoneal dialysis nurses face and the training strategies they use. The interviews were analyzed with thematic qualitative content analysis using deductive and inductive subcategory application. RESULTS: The findings revealed the education barriers perceived by nurses that patients may face. They also showed that using assessment tools is important in peritoneal dialysis patient education, as is developing strategies to promote patient self-management. There is a need for a deeper understanding of affective learning objectives, and existing teaching activities and materials should be revised to incorporate the patient's perspective. Patients usually begin having questions about peritoneal dialysis when they return home and are described as feeling overwhelmed. Adapting existing conditions is considered a major challenge for patients and nurses. CONCLUSIONS: The results provided useful insights into the best approaches to educating peritoneal dialysis patients and served to raise awareness of challenges experienced by renal nurses. Findings underline the need for nosogogy - an approach of teaching adults (andragogy) with a chronic disease. Flexibility and cooperation are competencies that renal nurses must possess. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Still psychomotor skills dominate peritoneal dialysis patient training, there is a need of both a deeper understanding of affective learning objectives and the accurate use of (self-)assessment tools, particularly for health literacy.

Peritoneal dialysis: a guide for non-renal nurses.

Peritoneal dialysis allows patients living with Stage 5 chronic kidney disease to manage their disease at home. However, such patients may be admitted to hospital with various health problems and be cared for by ward nurses who have not specialised in renal care. Part 1 of this series outlined the causes of chronic kidney disease and described how PD works; this article provides the information nurses need to better support such patients.

Increasing home dialysis knowledge through a web-based e-learning program.

AIM: There has been a global decline in the uptake of home-based dialysis therapies in the past 20 years. The ability to provide appropriate information to potential patients in this area may be confounded by a lack of knowledge of home dialysis options. The aim of this study was to develop a web-based education package for health professionals to increase knowledge and positive perceptions of home-based dialysis options. METHODS: A three-module e-learning package concerning home dialysis was developed under the auspices of the home dialysis first project. These modules were tested on 88 undergraduate health professionals. Changes in attitudes and knowledge of home dialysis were measured using custom designed surveys administered electronically to students who completed the modules. Matched pre and post responses to the survey items were compared using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. RESULTS: The pre survey indicated clear deficits in existing knowledge of home dialysis options. In particular, when asked if haemodialysis could be performed at home, 22% of participants responded 'definitely no' and a further 24% responded 'probably no'. Upon completion of the e-learning, post survey responses indicated statistically significant improvements (P < 0.001) in eight of the nine items. When asked if the e-learning had increased their knowledge about home dialysis, 99% of participants responded 'definitely yes'. CONCLUSION: A suite of web-based education modules can successfully deliver significant improvements in awareness and knowledge around home dialysis therapies.

Prevention of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis.

Reducing the frequency of peritonitis for patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD) continues to be a challenge. This review focuses on recent updates in catheter care and other patient factors that influence infection rates. An experienced nursing staff plays an important role in teaching proper PD technique to new patients, but nursing staff must be cognizant of each patient's unique educational needs. Over time, many patients become less adherent to proper dialysis technique, such as washing hands or wearing a mask. This behavior is associated with higher risk of peritonitis and is modifiable with re-training. Prophylactic antibiotics before PD catheter placement can decrease the infection risk immediately after catheter placement. In addition, some studies suggest that prophylaxis against fungal superinfection after antibiotic exposure is effective in reducing fungal peritonitis, although larger randomized studies are needed before this practice can be recommended for all patients. Over time, exit site and nasal colonization with pathogenic organisms can lead to exit-site infections and peritonitis. For patients with Staphylococcus aureus colonization, exit-site prophylaxis with either mupirocin or gentamicin cream reduces clinical infection with this organism. Although there are limited data for support, antibiotic prophylaxis before gastrointestinal, gynecologic, or dental procedures may also help reduce the risk of peritonitis.

Perspectives on peritoneal dialysis at home: implications for the management of a chronic condition. A study protocol.

AIM: This article is a report of a study protocol designed to explore the experience of home peritoneal dialysis from the perspectives of individuals, their families and healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom. BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis is an established life-saving treatment for end-stage renal disease. This daily treatment is undertaken at home, and nurses play a key role in supporting people with their dialysis and monitoring their condition. Although peritoneal dialysis is known to have an impact on peoples' quality of life, few studies have explored peoples' experiences of undertaking this treatment at home, nor investigated their families' and health professionals' perspectives. DESIGN: An ethnographic study is proposed, which will use in-depth interviews and non-participant observations with people who are undertaking peritoneal dialysis at home in the United Kingdom. Family members and healthcare professionals closely involved with these individuals will also be interviewed. The local ethics and governance committees approved this study in November 2010. DISCUSSION: It is anticipated that the study's findings will provide a detailed insight into the impact of peritoneal dialysis on individuals and their families. The findings will inform local strategies and/or interventions that could improve peoples' experiences of undertaking this treatment. Furthermore, the appropriateness of ethnographic methodology to examine individuals' and families' experiences of home treatments will be considered.

Chronic kidney disease stressors influence choice of dialysis modality.

AIM: This article is a report of a study examining the relationships between chronic kidney disease stressors and coping strategies with dialysis modality. BACKGROUND: People with chronic kidney disease are given information to enable dialysis modality choice. This education increases awareness and may alleviate concerns and stress. Disease-related stressors and coping may affect dialysis selection. Understanding the influence of stress and coping on dialysis choices will assist in providing responsive programmes. Reducing stress and encouraging coping may increase home dialysis which, despite economic and patient benefits, remains underused. DESIGN: A prospective correlational design was used. METHODS: Information was obtained from the Chronic Kidney Disease Stress Inventory and the Jalowiec Coping Scale in 223 individuals not on dialysis between the years 2005-2007. Data were recorded with respect to modality at dialysis initiation (n = 76) from 2005-2010. The effects of stress, coping and patient parameters on modality selection were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Individuals on home dialysis vs. in-centre haemodialysis reported significantly fewer pre-dialysis stressors. Coping was not associated with dialysis modality. Individuals on in-centre haemodialysis had a lower serum creatinine, less advanced kidney disease and weighed more than those who started on a home therapy. Physiological stressors were most common and are amenable to interventions. CONCLUSION: Pre-dialysis stress levels predicted dialysis modality. Interventional studies are recommended to address chronic kidney disease stressors with the outcome of improving home-dialysis usage.

The effectiveness of intensive nursing care on seasonal variation of blood pressure in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

AIM: This article is a report of a study to reduce the seasonal variation of blood pressure in patients on peritoneal dialysis through an intensive programme of nursing care. BACKGROUND: The seasonal variation of blood pressure is a common phenomenon in patients on maintenance dialysis. Whether or not this variation can be reduced through a given intervention is unknown. METHODS: The programme of intensive nursing care including education on volume control, home blood pressure monitoring and intensified antihypertensive treatment, was implemented from December 2006. The blood pressure, fluid and sodium removal and defined daily doses of antihypertensive agents were measured at 1-monthly intervals and averagely quarterly for seasonal values for spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively, before (December 2005-November 2006) and after intervention (December 2006-November 2007). FINDINGS: A total of 76 clinically stable patients on peritoneal dialysis were enrolled and finally analysed. The mean age was 60·6 years, and dialysis duration was 23·2 months. Before intervention, there were important seasonal variations in systolic and diastolic blood pressure. After intensive nursing care was implemented, the seasonal variation of systolic blood pressure disappeared. The diastolic blood pressure still represented a season pattern, but the discrepancy between winter and summer decreased. There were no seasonal patterns of total fluid and sodium removal before and after intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Intensive nursing care reduced the seasonal variation of blood pressure in patients on peritoneal dialysis. These data provided an evidence for implementing nurse-centred interventions in this population.

Does the direct application of povidone-lodine hasten hemostasis of the cannulation site after the removal of hemodialysis needles?

Historically, povidone-iodine has had multiple uses in the care of patients receiving hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis due to its broad antimicrobial properties. Anecdotally, nephrology nurses and technicians have used preparation pads impregnated with povidone-iodine at hemodialysis cannulation sites after removing the needle post-treatment to hasten the clotting time at the site. This article explores the literature related to the use of povidone-iodine in the process of hemostasis after the removal of hemodialysis cannulation needles and also discusses the potential risks of using povidone-iodine in the patient population with renal failure.

Calciphylaxis: a case study.

Caring for J.D. was a stressful experience. The extent of her wounds, pain, and limited options for treatment was very frustrating for the nursing staff. Although she did not survive, patient outcomes were met to some degree. Her pain was controlled to a greater extent, and there was less infection present in her wounds. The nurses worked with J.D. closely to improve her pain control and facilitate less painful dressing changes. They were vigilant in assessing the progress of her wound healing and communicating any increased signs of infections from her wounds. They sang with her to help distract her from the pain she was experiencing and to help her cope with her lengthy 8-month hospitalization. Providing care for J.D. was also a very important learning experience for nurses in terms of appropriate pain management for patients with CUA, wound care, and the need to sustain adequate nutrition to promote wound healing. CUA is a rare but potentially fatal disease that occurs in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). Early diagnosis and treatment are essential to prevent the devastating effects of this disease. Nephrology nurses need to reinforce the importance of keeping calcium, phosphorous, and parathyroid levels within normal ranges for their patients on dialysis. They also need to be vigilant in monitoring for potential CUA skin lesions to prevent and treat it early. To date, treatment options are mostly based on findings from case reports. Treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach with input from nephrologists, nurses, pain specialists, infectious disease specialists, and surgeons. The major goals of treatment are controlling risk factors, controlling pain, and preventing wound infection and possible sepsis. More studies need to be conducted to test interventions that may help treat CUA.

Self-management support for peritoneal dialysis patients.

UNLABELLED: The increasing prevalence of chronic illnesses and kidney disease, in particular, makes it necessary to adopt new approaches towards their management (Wagner, 1998). Evidence suggests that promoting self-management improves the health status of peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, as they manage upwards of 90% of their own care. Patients who are unable to self-manage suffer from various complications. This project proposes an intervention aimed at improving self-management skills among PD patients. GOAL: To promote self-management in peritoneal dialysis patients. This is achieved through the following objectives: (a) develop an algorithm that can improve patients' ability to solve the specific problem of fluid balance maintenance, (b) develop an educational session for patients on how to use the algorithm, and (c) develop an implementation strategy in collaboration with the PD nurse. METHOD AND RESULTS: Three measures evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. First, a telephone call log shows that participating patients call the clinic less to inquire about fluid balance maintenance. Next, a pre- and post-intervention knowledge test measures definite knowledge increase. Finally, a Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire reveals overall satisfaction with the intervention. CONCLUSION: This project, which proved beneficial to our patient population, could be duplicated in other clinics. The algorithm "How do I choose a dialysis bag" and the slides of the educational sessions can be shared with PD nurses across the country for the benefit of PD patients.

From the "PD First" policy to the innovation in PD care.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the rapid growth of peritoneal dialysis (PD) program under the "PD First" policy of Thailand, it is necessary to have many voluntary well-training PD staffs and a good education program for PD nurses to serve an excellent PD outcome. In the present study novel devices, which could be practically used in PD patients, were developed by the creative PD trainee idea of to facilitate PD self-care and decrease work load of PD staffs. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Young PD nurses in the 3rd generation of PD trainee program from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were assigned to develop novel tools in order to assisting patient care in real practice. The efficacy of these inventions and patient satisfaction were assessed by comparing with the standard method. RESULTS: The authors presented two interesting innovations in the present study. The first one, "Troubleshooting Wheel", contained six common complaints and the advice for correcting each problem in the platform of rotating wheel. Participants could solve problems more rapidly than using the standard handbook for PD (p < 0.01) and also found the correct responses more frequently than the handbook (p < 0.01). The second one, "Exit Site Abacus", the sliding platform with automatic calculation of the sum of exit site score, was the easier method in evaluating the exit site infection than the conventional exit site scoring using the Prowant's table or their own memory. CONCLUSION: Reinforcement of the development of PD nursing program not only increases the number of PD staffs but also contributes to the innovations for improving quality of PD care by the young new staffs.

Nationwide peritoneal dialysis nurse training in Thailand: 3-year experience.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) center is not possible to operate if there is no availability of dedicated PD nurse. Generally, the nurse has to play many roles, including educator coordinator, and sometimes leader. As professionalism, the PD nurses need to have both theoretical and practical skills. With the tremendous leap of PD population after the launch of "PD First" policy in Thailand, the shortage of skillful PD nurse is concerned. Hence, the nationwide PD nurse training course was established with the collaborations of many organizations and institutes. Until now, 3 generations of 225 PD nurses are the productions of the course. This number represents 80 percent of PD nurses distributed throughout the whole nation. The survey operated in the year 2010 demonstrated that the output of the course was acceptable in terms of quality since most of the trained PD nurses had a confidence in taking care of PD patients. The quality of patient care is good as indicated by KPIs.