Nurses' and medical doctors' attitudes towards exercise for people with chronic kidney disease in Denmark

Implementation of exercise training in people with kidney failure may be affected by clinicians' attitudes.

To investigate Danish nephrology nurses' and medical doctors' attitudes towards: exercise for people undergoing dialysis; use of physical activity interventions in chronic kidney disease; and to compare Danish and previously reported Australian nurse attitudes.

Cross-sectional survey.

Nurses and medical doctors from the nephrology field in Denmark.

The questionnaire attitudes towards exercise in dialysis, and questions about exercise advice, counselling and interventions.

Nephrology nurses (n = 167) and 17 medical doctors (women 92%, age 47 ± 11 years) from 19 dialysis units participated. There were no differences between nurses' and medical doctors attitudes about training. Ninety-five % and 88% of nurses and medical doctors, respectively, agreed that most people undergoing dialysis could benefit from exercise. Exercise training was offered to people undergoing haemodialyses in 88% of 17 departments. Danish nurses reported more positive attitudes than Australian towards exercise (p < 0.05). Ninety-five % and 86% of the Danish and Australian nurses, respectively, agreed/strongly agreed that most people undergoing dialysis could benefit from exercise. Six % and 35% of the Danish and Australian nurses, respectively, agreed/strongly agreed that most people with dialysis were too sick to exercise.

Danish nephrology nurses and medical doctors had mostly positive attitudes to exercise training to people undergoing dialysis, and exercise to people with dialysis was offered frequently. Danish and Australian nurses had positive attitudes to exercise to people undergoing dialysis, it was however more positive in Danish nurses.