The Shortage of Expert Nephrology Nurses in Hemodialysis: A Literature Review.

The expert nephrology nurse is an integral part of quality care and essential for continuity of care in the renal community. A review of literature focused on the expert nephrology nurse, the need for these experts in the hemodialysis setting, and how the shortage of expert nephrology nurses may impact patient outcomes. The purpose was to synthesize the current literature to provide an understanding of the shortage of expert nephrology nurses. The review of 140 articles dated from 1984 through 2016 resulted in 65 that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results of this literature review of shortage of expert nephrology nurses prompts concern for the renal community and its patients.