The last decade has brought multiple changes in the delivery of care to patients with
chronic kidney disease (CKD), and the nephrology social worker, like other members
of the dialysis care team, has changed in response to a new health care climate. This
article reviews a disease course perspective of CKD and the outcome-driven nephrology
social work model of practice. The outcome-driven model is strategic and works toward
improving patient outcomes. In this model, the social worker identifies and isolates
barriers to desired treatment outcomes such as survival, quality of life, and cost
containment and develops focused psychosocial interventions to reduce barriers to
positive treatment outcomes. Measurement is the key to refining interventions to meet
patient and clinic needs. Once an intervention is fine tuned, it can become a standard
intervention in a “tool kit” that can be used by the social worker on micro- and macrolevels.
This model of nephrology social work practice can improve treatment outcomes in areas
such as depression management, fluid management, care planning, missed treatments,
rehabilitation, satisfaction with care, and reduced hospitalizations.
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References
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- NKF/CNSW Outcomes Training Program. National Kidney Foundation, New York, NY2000
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Conditions for Coverage of Suppliers of ESRD Services, 42 CFR part 405 Subpart U, 1976
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Council of Nephrology Social Workers Outcomes Training Program. New York, NY, National Kidney Foundation, 1996-2006
- Wellness programming: Nephrology social work expands its role in renal disease management.Nephrol News Issues. 2005; 19: 59-71
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© 2007 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
