Knowledge of immunosuppressive drugs used in kidney transplants

A key role of renal nurses is the correct and safe administration of immunosuppressive drug therapy (ImmRx) to kidney transplant recipients. The authors sought to examine the knowledge and competency of ImmRx in kidney transplant patients and whether an annual kidney transplant nurse education programme had any beneficial effects.

The study population was comprised of 63.2% (n=50/79) of all nurses from renal wards (ward A (n=17/35), ward B (n=21/32)) and 12 nurses from a high-dependency urology ward (ward C (n=12)). Kidney transplant patients usually receive inpatient care in wards A, B or C only as these wards specialise in urology and renal care. Each nurse completed a 35-question test that covered ImmRx in areas of indication, identification, interaction, pharmcokinetics/pharmacodynamics, therapeutic drug monitoring, administration and adverse effects. A minimum score of 70% was required to pass the test.

Only 46% of participants passed the test. The proportion of nurses who passed was not significantly different with respect to years of nursing experience, professional rank, postgraduate nursing qualifications or ward location. Unexpectedly, a greater proportion of nurses who did not attend the education programme passed the test (63.6%; n=14/22) than those who did attend it (32.1%; n=9/28]; p=0.03). Notably, 24% (n=12/50), 4% (n=2/50) and 4% (n=2/50) were unable to correctly answer any of the identification, interaction and therapeutic drug monitoring questions.

These findings suggest that the nurses' understanding and knowledge of ImmRx is insufficient and they need to update their knowledge on ImmRx continually.