Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden loss of kidney function that affects more than half a million people in England per year. It is often associated with episodes of acute illness and results in poor clinical outcomes. AKI is also known to increase individuals’ susceptibility to Chronic Kidney Disease.
There is national and local evidence that suggests AKI in a third of cases is under treated (UKRR, 2020). This workstream is focused on ensuring local systems have robust processes in place covering prevention, detection, and management, based on evidence-based practice (NICE [NG148], 2019; NHS England, 2015).
The AKI Network has 50 multi-disciplinary clinicians, representing 23 acute trusts in the North West.
Work completed includes:
- Baseline AKI survey
- Pharmacist led AKI discharge Survey
- Development of a NWKN AKI Care bundle (AKI-Think Fluids 24)
- Development of a NWKN AKI Manuel to support AKI-Think Fluids 24
- Validation of national AKI data set
- Collaboration with spoke units to support AKI services and AKI education
- Education support delivering bespoke topics
- Collaboration with the adult critical care networks to review how AKI is treated and how chronic kidney disease patients are managed
- Endorsed Lancashire Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Iodinated and Gadolinium Contrast Media Guideline
- Pharmacist led post discharge AKI pilot project – application submitted
- Rolling out of AKI care bundle, AKI manual and monitoring to all hub and spoke units
- To complete AKI transfer collaborative data collection
- Primary care medicine reconciliation with post discharge AKI and primary care prevention of community AKI
- Template SOP for post discharge NP/ ANP led AKI clinic
- Further education materials targeting Multi-disciplinary team
- Adopting a healthy kidney approach to AKI prevention
- Regional patient information leaflet and alert card.
To continue to provide education, support and collaboration with our members.
