Residency program prepares RNs to provide hemodialysis
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A cohort of recent nursing graduates was “competent at providing hemodialysis treatments” and acute care after completing a nephrology nursing residency at a university hospital, according to a presentation.
“With the progression of age in the national workforce, retirees will be leaving nephrology and the need for competent nurses will grow exponentially,” Elizabeth J. Hudson-Weires, MSN, APRN, ACCNS-AG, and colleagues from Emory University Hospital wrote in a poster presented at the American Nephrology Nurses Association National Symposium.
They noted that the American Nephrology Nurses Association reported 30% of members in 2017 were aged 60 or older. “Succession planning is vital,” they added.
The hospital system recruited recent RN graduates who had prior health care experience and wanted to work with patients treated with dialysis. The authors wrote that the program used Benner’s theory of novice to expert and emphasized critical thinking.
In the first 12 weeks, residents developed independent clinical skills and received didactic instruction and training in the general medicine unit. After 10 to 12 weeks, residents began hands-on hemodialysis machine instruction. Through the remainder of the program, residents progressed from observing to incrementally assuming more independence in performing hemodialysis, culminating in week 24 when they progressed to providing treatments in the ICU while the preceptor remained in the hemodialysis unit.
Four residents have graduated from the program, and researchers wrote a fifth is “midway through.”
“Development of a robust conduit of proficient nephrology nurses is vital to sustaining the highest quality of care for patients with renal disease,” the authors wrote.
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Hudson-Weires E., et al. The development & implementation of a new graduate RN residency program for acute care nephrology nurses. Presented at: American Nephrology Nurses Association National Symposium; Aug. 29-31, 2020 (virtual meeting).
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