A systematic review of patient education strategies for arteriovenous fistula care in hemodialysis patients

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses a significant global health challenge, contributing to approximately 1.4 million deaths in 2019. As the prevalence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) rises, effective management strategies, particularly hemodialysis and arteriovenous fistula (AVF) care, become paramount. This systematic review aims to evaluate various nurse-led patient education interventions focused on enhancing self-care practices and reducing complications associated with AVF. A comprehensive literature search across CINAHL Complete and PubMed yielded 344 articles, of which only six met the inclusion criteria, highlighting the selective nature of the review process. All included studies employed quantitative methods, encompassing diverse educational approaches such as brochures, multi-method techniques, and instructional modules, involving a total of 212,372 participants. The findings demonstrate that effective patient education significantly improves knowledge of AVF care, reduces anxiety, enhances the ability to identify infection symptoms, and positively influences vascular access outcomes. Thematic synthesis revealed common patterns and themes across the studies, emphasizing the importance of tailored educational strategies in improving self-care behaviors among hemodialysis patients. This review underscores the critical role of healthcare professionals, especially nurses, in implementing diverse educational interventions that cater to individual patient needs, ultimately improving clinical outcomes and quality of life for individuals with AVF undergoing hemodialysis. Future research should explore integrated education programs to further enhance the effectiveness of patient education in this population.