Using a multidisciplinary training program to reduce peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Medical Education
• Patient Safety

Background:

• Peritonitis remains a significant complication in peritoneal dialysis (PD).
• Effective patient education is crucial for managing PD and preventing complications.
• Assessing patient understanding of PD procedures is essential for identifying at-risk individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the reliability of the Objective Structured Assessment (OSA) in predicting peritonitis rates.
• To assess the impact of a new multidisciplinary peritoneal dialysis education program (PDEP) on peritonitis rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of PD patient records in two phases.
• Phase I: Objective Structured Assessment (OSA) of practical skills for 25 PD patients, correlated with prior peritonitis rates.
• Phase II: Implementation of a new multidisciplinary PDEP, with data collection on patient demographics and peritonitis episodes.

Main Results:

• OSA results showed a significant correlation with peritonitis rates; patients passing the OSA had lower rates (p < 0.05).
• Following PDEP implementation, overall peritonitis rates significantly decreased from 0.55 to 0.28 episodes/patient-year (p < 0.05).
• Staphylococcus peritonitis rates also significantly declined post-PDEP (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The OSA is a validated tool for assessing PD patient skills and predicting peritonitis risk.
• The multidisciplinary PDEP effectively reduced peritonitis rates, demonstrating improved patient outcomes and treatment safety.