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A push for CKD education
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Everything is bigger and better in Texas, and the 2018 Advanced Practitioner Program will prove this truism.
Starting Tuesday, April 10, with the pre-conference sessions and concluding Saturday, April 14, the speakers are not only experts in their specialties are but world-class, award-winning teachers. The sessions will have something for everyone in every area of nephrology.
During the pre-conference day, attendees can select from “Management of the CKD patient,” “Basics of vascular access” or “Successful dialysis.” For the more experienced advanced practitioners (APs), a day of new and updated transplant information including all new policies, rules and regulations is covered in “Critical care nephrology.” Glomerular disease is always a hot topic and the what’s and how’s will be covered. For nurse practitioners (NPs) interested in nephrology NP certification, there is a half-day exam review.
The main meeting includes pulmonary, cardiology and peritoneal dialysis experts sharing their knowledge. There is an in-depth review by Charlie Foulks, MD, on lab values and how these guide our practice and decisions. For the latest in acute kidney injury, there is a session on management strategies taught by Cat Wells, DNP. Alexis Harris, MD, renal pathologist, will take us through an in-depth review of pathology as only she can, breaking it down to basics and then building each block back up to the point where pathology is second nature to the audience. In a repeat performance, Chris Kessler, an endocrine NP, will highlight new diabetic medications in use for patients with kidney conditions. Then, she will discuss the interaction between the gut, the obesity crisis and diabetes. Kessler is one of the most popular speakers for several of the tracks, and we were lucky to “wrench” her way from the others.
Communication is key to patient care and improving outcomes. On Friday, we have two new offerings: “Improving communication with patients and families” and “Improving nephrology education.” There are also special lunch workshops that focus on managing dialysis accesses, obstetrics and critical care.
As APs, we treat the whole patient. Thursday offers a session on incorporating primary care into nephrology practice. Denise Link, PAC and nephrology instructor at the University of Texas, will review the mysteries of acid/base balance, so these never stump you again. Then, join me and Barb Malone, DNP, for lectures on over-the-counter medications and herbal/alternative medications. Without these lectures, how will you know what to answer when your patients ask you about random supplements they found on the internet?
It is accepted that a living donor for a kidney transplant is preferred, but what are the ethics of asking, the risks of donating and the barriers? These questions and more will be addressed by a panel of experts. Our population is aging, and what applies to a 20-year-old patient may not be applicable to our 70-plus year-old patients. We have diuretics, bone management, orthopedics, palliative care and more. Finally, there is the Team Kidney Fun Run Saturday morning.
It is not all about lectures. The Tim Poole Award will be presented to Jo Ann Palmer of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Clinician Reviews will receive the Nostradamus for their unwavering, multiyear support of APs. – by Jane Davis, DNP, CRNP