Peritoneal dialysis training and interventions: a narrative review

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) training and education for patients and their caregivers, provided by PD nurses, are crucial for effective PD programs. The goal is to impart sufficient knowledge, skills, training, and support to minimize complications. However, the evidence regarding effective educational interventions during training has been unclear and inconsistent. The review question was: How do PD training methods and educational interventions impact on PD outcomes in adult patients? Methods: A narrative review was undertaken with defined inclusion and exclusion criteria of articles published in the last 10 years. Databases were searched, followed by a selection process conducted with the project team. Quality appraisal and a final selection were uploaded to Excel, and data was extracted. A narrative description of the results was then completed. Results: A total of 982 articles followed the selection process of these 21 studies, including mixed methods research design, but all met the inclusion criteria. The results were described under headings of training methods, educational interventions, patient characteristics, retraining, and outcomes reported. Conclusions: The narrative review highlights gaps in robust evidence for educational interventions during training. However, some evidence supports adapting PD training methods to incorporate more individualized approaches, appropriate pre-training assessments, and consistent outcome measures.