A new article from Nephrology News & Issues, co-authored by Coalition Executive Director Christine Corbett, and Susan E. Brown, reviews data from the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Council of Advanced Practice Providers' latest survey. This survey tracks demographics, compensation, and evolving responsibilities for Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs) in the nephrology workforce.
For the first time, this iteration of the survey featured specialized questions designed by the Coalition to capture how Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) interact with kidney supportive care and conservative management.
The data revealed a significant integration of supportive care responsibilities into daily practice:
- 53% of APPs report providing kidney supportive care duties—including active medical care without dialysis/conservative care—within CKD clinic settings.
- 58% of respondents are holding critical goals-of-care conversations.
- 49% and 47% of APPs are actively participating in patient shared decision-making and complex symptom management, respectively.
Need for Formal Education
While APPs are rapidly incorporating these vital services, the survey uncovered a striking gap in structured preparation: 83% of respondents reported that their training in the nephrology specialty occurred purely through informal mentorship or on-the-job training. Furthermore, only 10% reported that they currently teach kidney supportive care/primary palliative care skills to other APPs.
These findings indicate that kidney supportive care is a core component of daily nephrology practice for APPs nationwide. However, the high reliance on informal training underscores a need for scalable, structured educational programs. The Coalition is actively positioned to bridge this gap, ensuring clinicians have the evidence-based tools they need to manage symptoms and guide complex medical decisions.