Kidney Screening

The West Virginia University, Department of Medicine, Section of Nephrology, is working with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to go to rural areas of West Virginia to screen people for kidney disease. There is no charge to the patients. Funding is provided by the NKF.

The Screenings are called KEEP (Kidney Early Evaluation Program). The objective of this program is to reach out to the people of West Virginia; screen, evaluate, and educate them on the implications of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We have found that since West Virginia is mostly rural, many do not have access to healthcare specialists, so we go to them.

Clarksburg/Bridgeport KEEP
Friday, October 12, 2007
10:00 to 4:00 pm
Bridgeport Conference Center

The screenings consist of:

1. Patient Registration: having them fill out a screening questionnaire that includes demographics, past medical history, medications, primary healthcare provider, as well as having them consent to releasing Protected Health Information (PHI) for our CKD database.

2. Urinalysis: using a clinitest machine, we have the ability to screen urine immediately

3. Blood tests (CBC, Lytes, BUN, Creatinine, Calcium, Phos, albumin, iron studies, as well as finger sticks. These are drawn at the screening and sent to lab. Results take approximately 3 weeks.

4. Height, weight and vitals

5. Pharmacist consult (Some medications can cause or worsen CKD)

6. Physician or nurse practitioner consult (explaining urine results, and discussing how Past Medical History, and co-morbid conditions can lead to CKD.

We use a multidisciplinary team of volunteers , and have a great time. Lunch or dinner is provided.

Roles for nursing students would be to:

• help with registration,
• help with medical histories,
• taking weights and blood pressures,
• phlebotomy (if allowed), &
• measuring urine.

Students also get to learn about chronic kidney disease; how to screen for it, what to look for, and how to manage.