Impact of an Educational Program for Advanced Practice Nurses on Knowledge of Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative Guidelines

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often referred to a nephrologist late. Contributing factors include primary care providers' lack of awareness of practice guidelines for treating kidney disease and their uncertainty of timing for referral to a nephrologist. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine if advanced practice nurses working in primary care are knowledgeable about the National Kidney Foundations Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative Guidelines, if a CKD education program increases knowledge, and if knowledge is retained. Fourteen advanced practice nurses participated in the study. The knowledge outcome was measured using a CKD knowledge-based survey. The results showed a significant increase in knowledge post-intervention; moreover, knowledge gained was retained at the one-month follow-up interval. This evidence-based practice project was developed to promote timely referral to a nephrologist, which may then slow the progression of kidney disease, decrease morbidity and mortality, and reduce healthcare cost.