Abstract: FR-PO114
An Exploratory Needs Assessment for AKI Patient Education: Results from a Focus Group
Session Information
- AKI: Outcomes, RRT
November 03, 2023 | Location: Exhibit Hall, Pennsylvania Convention Center
Abstract Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Category: Acute Kidney Injury
- 102 AKI: Clinical, Outcomes, and Trials
Authors
- Murphy, Daniel P., University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
- Kao, Patricia F., Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri, United States
- Basu, Rajit K., Ann and Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Lewington, Andrew J.P., Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Leeds, United Kingdom
- Levy, Marla, American Society of Nephrology, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Awdishu, Linda, University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, La Jolla, California, United States
- Cerda, Jorge, Albany Medical College, Albany, New York, United States
- Liu, Kathleen D., University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, California, United States
- Ostermann, Marlies, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, London, United Kingdom
- Tolwani, Ashita J., The University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
- Freshly, Bonnie L., American Society of Nephrology, Washington, District of Columbia, United States
- Heung, Michael, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Group or Team Name
- ASN AKINow Education Workgroup.
Background
Literature on the type, content, and effectiveness of patient education regarding acute kidney injury (AKI) is scarce. The American Society of Nephrology AKINow Education Workgroup conducted a focus group of relevant stakeholders with AKI experience to discern major themes in the educational needs, level of resources, and opportunities in the realm of AKI-education.
Methods
The focus group was held virtually in May 2023 with participants recruited from the United States and United Kingdom. Participants included patients, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers and were divided into four breakout sessions to discuss for 40 minutes one topic each: (1) AKI-related education in the hospital and at discharge; (2) long-term education needs based on degree of AKI-recovery; (3) education in the outpatient dialysis unit regarding dialysis-requiring AKI; or (4) counseling patients at risk for AKI.
Results
Focus group participants included 7 patients, 15 nephrologists, 2 primary care physicians, 1 intensivist, 3 nurses, 6 pharmacists, and 2 social workers. Several common themes emerged, including: general lack of knowledge among the public regarding “what kidneys do;” uncertainty of what questions patients would be well-served by asking; and a desire for improved and/or more frequent communication to patients and amongst their medical team regarding updated, germane AKI-related information.
Additional major themes from session 1 included: key signs/symptoms to monitor for, and clear directions to navigate clinical changes in a patient’s AKI course. Major themes from session 2 included: recommended steps to improve or protect health after AKI, including medications and diet. Major themes from session 3 included: inconsistency in provider messaging around the evolving assessment of AKI-recovery vs. end-stage kidney disease. Major themes from session 4 included: the need for multimodal patient education (e.g., written and multimedia resources) in addition to education from trusted providers.
Conclusion
There is an urgent need to improve education for patients with AKI through all phases of the AKI experience and to co-produce these resources with patients.