Patient satisfaction high with nurse-led chronic kidney Dz care

(HealthDay)—For patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), patient satisfaction is high with care at nurse-led clinics, according to a study published online Feb. 3 in the Journal of Renal Care.

Sonya Coleman, from the Metro North Hospital and Health Services in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues conducted a cross-sectional study at five clinics. A total of 873 participants aged older than 18 years with CKD who attended nurse-led clinics over a six-month period were recruited. The patients completed the Nurse Practitioner Patient Satisfaction questionnaire (response rate, 64.3 percent) that was modified for CKD.

The researchers found that 83.8 percent of respondents reported being highly satisfied with the quality of care provided by the nurse; however, there were differences in some aspects of satisfaction between genders, age groups, and familiarity with the nurse. Patients' comments were positive overall with few improvements suggested in relation to car-parking, providing more practical support, and having accessible locations.

"In an era of person-centered care, it is important to measure patient satisfaction using appropriate and standardized questionnaires," the authors write. "Our results highlight that, to improve services, communication strategies should be optimized in nurse-led clinics."