Development of a virtual peritoneal dialysis resource for registered nurses

Abstract

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a common renal replacement therapy for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Poor care of patients who use PD could lead to severe complications, including peritonitis, exit-site infection, technique failure and death. To ensure safe and effective peritoneal dialysis, nurses must receive comprehensive education and training on the proper techniques and procedures involved in the process. This will help them develop the skills and expertise to perform PD tasks proficiently and provide the best care to patients undergoing dialysis treatment. Purpose: To assess current evidence on virtual education methods to develop an educational resource for registered nurses providing care to patients who use peritoneal dialysis. Methods: Three methods were used to collect information for this project. First, an integrative literature review was conducted using a literature search in CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus. Eleven relevant articles were identified, and research studies were critically appraised using standardized appraisal tools. Second, consultations with stakeholders (i.e., registered nurses, physicians, managers, patient care facilitators, and vendor representatives) were conducted to determine the learning needs of registered nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) and gather recommendations and feedback from all stakeholders regarding the development of a virtual peritoneal dialysis resource. Finally, an environmental scan was conducted to determine current resources and the best options for registered nurses. Findings: Registered nurses were effectively educated on peritoneal dialysis through virtual education methods, which included computer-assisted programs, e-modules, and Microsoft Teams. These findings aligned with the outcomes of the consultations and environmental scan. Conclusion: Limited literature exists on virtual methods to educate nurses about peritoneal dialysis. However, available research confirms the effectiveness of online methods for this purpose. An evidence-based virtual peritoneal dialysis resource has been developed to aid nurses in caring for patients who use peritoneal dialysis. This virtual resource will be shared with Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS) members so they can plan to implement it.