Welcome to the Chronic Kidney Disease – CKD Interest Group page!

The aims of the CKD Interest Group are:

• Develop education materials as a support tool to assist with the training of staff members who are newcomers to Renal Units
• Promote the importance of strategies in the prevention and management of CKD
• Set up a network of professionals interested in the management of CKD associated with Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease

As the CKD Interest Group no longer exists, EDTNA/ERCA members are co-opted to help the CKD Consultant Karen Jenkins with project work.

To review the list of publications and resources developed by the CKD Interest Group click here.

Projects 2008/2009

CKD pocket guide ‘Managing stages 4&5 CKD A Guide to Clinical Practice’ was launched at the Prague Conference in September 2008. This book focuses on progression of CKD, treatment options, patient education, medicines and complications associated with stages 4&5 CKD. This book compliments CKD stages 1-3  A Guide to Clinical Practice published in 2007. Copies of both CKD books are available via the EDTNA/ERCA secretariat and are free to members or 15 euros each for non member.

In Collaboration with the Anaemia & Transplant Consultants a joint seminar was held at the Prague Conference focusing on patient education, psychological issues, managing diabetes on dialysis, living donor transplantation and managing patients who do not wish to have dialysis.

Members of the CKD group have contributed to the Haematology handbook published in 2009, edited by Lesley Bennett, Anaemia consultant for EDTNA/ERCA.

Projects 2010/11

Caring for hypertensive patients without CKD: Lifestyle Interventions Handouts

Hypertension is a major public health problem and a prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney diseases. The European Society of Hypertension and the European Society of Cardiology established guidelines for two treatment approaches: non-pharmacological (therapeutic lifestyle changes) and pharmacological. Nurses play an important role in patient education, and this requires effective communication. Due to the migration of people, the patient population has become culturally diverse. In clinical practice, experiences have shown that language and cultural barriers can result in misunderstandings and undesirable outcomes (e.g. poor professional-patient relationship). Therefore, effective strategies to bridge this cultural barrier are necessary.
The EDTNA/ERCA CKD group have produced handouts designed to assist nurses in advocating healthy lifestyles in a transcultural context for patients with hypertension. This is to help achieve optimal blood pressure control in order to prevent the progression of CKD and related complications of cardiovascular disease.

At the 2010 conference in Dublin a seminar was held to launch the leaflets in English, Spanish, Hebrew, Greek and Chinese.

This project was an initiative of Tai Mooi Ho (previous CKD IG member) who produced the Chinese and Spanish versions. She was assisted by Karen Jenkins who with Lesley Bennett (Anaemia Consultant) produced the English version, Nurit Cohen (Hebrew), Anastasia Liossatou (Greek).Tai Mooi, Nurit, and Anastasia were all previously CKD interest group members)

Handouts with translation into: Chinese, Greek, Italian, Hebrew, Romanian and Spanish

YOU are INVITED to collaborate in creating handouts in your cultures (except those elaborated). EDTNA/ERCA Certificates will be issued to authors!! Contact: tmho@hospitaldelmar.cat

The main project for 2011 has been the production of a handbook 'A Practical Guide for Caring for Patients Who Have No Wish for or Chose to Withdraw from Dialysis'.

As the age of our renal population increases and those who are elderly with multiple co-morbidities are known not to do well on dialysis, the need for Palliative Care in advanced kidney disease is growing. This handbook aims to give an overview of the pathway of those with advanced kidney disease who require end of life care. The book focuses on disease trajectories, psychosocial and cultural aspects, symptom management, sexuality, nutritional needs, anaemia management, models of care and bereavement.

This book has been edited by Karen Jenkins, Lesley Bennett and Tai Mooi Ho and will be launched at the 2011 conference in Ljubljana at an end of life seminar.

Future projects include further collaboration with the Anaemia Consultant to investigate the use of intravenous iron in the non dialysis population.

Along with Jitka Pancirova, Karen Jenkins represents EDTNA/ERCA as a member of the European Kidney Health Alliance.

If you have an interest in CKD and require any support or information please do not hesitate to contact the CKD Consultant, Karen Jenkins.