A nurse prescriber-led protocol for anaemia management in established haemodialysis patients: A retrospective study

To evaluate the impact of a nurse prescriber-led protocol compared to a traditional physician-led nonprotocol-based approach had on maintaining targeted haemoglobin levels in patients on maintenance haemodialysis.

Anaemia is a common complication of chronic kidney disease and has a profound impact on the patients' well-being. Current practices place a greater emphasis on the decision-making role of nurses in renal anaemia management. The introduction of nurse prescribing in this area is a relatively new concept.

A retrospective cohort design, covering an eight-month period pre- and post introduction of a nurse prescriber-led anaemia protocol; study adheres to the STROBE Statement.

Using a nonprobability convenience sample, data extracted from the medical records and electronic patient records system (eMed) related to 74 patients at a single outpatient haemodialysis centre located within an acute general teaching hospital. The primary outcome was patients' haemoglobin level pre- and post introduction of the protocol. Secondary outcomes included erythropoietin-stimulating agent and iron dosage, and serum ferritin and transferrin saturation levels.

There were no statistically significant differences between pre- and post protocol serum haemoglobin level and erythropoietin-stimulating agent dosage. Under the management of the nurse prescriber, patients experienced a significant improvement in serum ferritin and transferrin saturation levels and required significantly less intravenous iron dosage.

This study, the first of its kind, found that patients receiving haemodialysis experience a significant improvement in iron indices while receiving a significantly lower amount of intravenous iron when managed by a nurse prescriber. Furthermore, the nurse prescribers' decision-making capacity is as effective as a physician-led nonprotocol-based approach in achieving haemoglobin target levels.

Nurse prescribers have a role in implementing a safe, standardised and sustained approach to anaemia management in outpatient haemodialysis settings without compromising patient care.