Key Concepts
Overview
Chronic Kidney Disease (Renal & Urinary) links assessment, fluid and electrolyte balance, urinary elimination, renal replacement therapies, and medication safety to nursing judgment: protect perfusion and kidney function, monitor I&O and weights, recognize hyperkalemia, oliguria, access complications, peritonitis, and post-dialysis instability, and escalate when AKI, pulmonary edema, infection, or transplant rejection threatens the client. US NCLEX-RN items often test hyperkalemia and ECG, oliguria, fluid overload, dialysis access, and first actions in acute change. Pathway context (RN, United States). Continue with related lessons from the pathway lesson hub. Learning objectives - Integrate vitals, edema pattern, lung sounds, urine output, labs (creatinine, eGFR, electrolytes, urinalysis), dialysis access, catheter function, and mentation to identify renal emergencies and complications. - Select nursing interventions and teaching aligned with orders, scope, nephrology/dialysis/transplant plans, and facility policy. - Communicate early when findings suggest critical hyperkalemia, anuria with shock, infected or clotted access, dialysis disequilibrium, acute retention, TURP syndrome, or rapid creatinine rise. Why it matters for nursing care: Chronic Kidney Disease requires early recognition, careful trend assessment, and rapid prioritization when the patient begins to deteriorate. Clinical...