ABSTRACT
Objective
To describe nurses' knowledge about the identification, prevention and self-care measures directed to Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in hypertensive and / or diabetic patients in Primary Health Care (PHC).
Method
Cross-sectional and quantitative study. Sample consisting of 57 nurses working in primary health care (PHC). The semi-structured questionnaire was adopted for data collection. A descriptive and inferential analysis was performed. The result with p≤0.05 was considered significant.
Results
The nurses' profile was young (age 42 ± 9 years old) and professional practice time being 9 ± 6 years. Knowledge about general aspects related to AKI was identified as below average (48±19 points), however, although the concept was correctly described by a majority 41 (71.9%). Risk factors recognized as determinant for AKI were mostly drug exposure 56 (98.2%) and diabetes mellitus 49 (86%). The length of practice in PHC was associated with reduced knowledge about the need for referral to the nephrologist based on serum creatinine value (p=0.004).
Conclusion and implications for the practice
Nurses' knowledge was insufficient for recognition of risk factors, prevention and self-care activities of kidney disease. Thus, there is a need for permanent training of nurses in PHC to optimize the early identification of AKI, avoiding progression, and chronification and complications of this disease.
Keywords:
Acute Kidney Injury; Nursing Care; Knowledge; Primary Health Care