Elif Aleyna ÖZDEDE
Middle Black Sea Journal of Health Science - 2026;12(2):312-329
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem that multidimensionally affects individuals' physical, psychological, and social lives due to its progressive course, high symptom burden, and long-term care requirements. In the management of CKD, medical treatment alone is insufficient; patients' self-management skills, treatment adherence, lifestyle modifications, and psychosocial support needs are also fundamental components of care. Therefore, planning nursing care on the basis of theoretical models contributes to the delivery of systematic, holistic, and patient-centered care. Review Text: This review discusses nursing care in chronic kidney disease from the perspective of Imogene King's Goal Attainment Theory. Within the scope of the review, the principal care problems commonly encountered in CKD, including knowledge deficit, nonadherence to treatment, ineffective health management, lifestyle-related problems, psychosocial problems, and physical symptom burden, were examined. Nursing interventions addressing these problems were evaluated in accordance with King's theory. The nurse-patient interaction, communication, mutual goal setting, and shared decision-making processes that form the foundation of the theory may enhance patients' self-management skills, improve treatment adherence, positively influence health behaviors, and support psychosocial well-being. Current literature indicates that nurse-led interventions, including education, counseling, telephone follow-up, motivational interviewing, lifestyle modification support, psychosocial support, and symptom management, may lead to positive outcomes in patients with CKD. Conclusion: Imogene King's Goal Attainment Theory can be considered an effective theoretical framework for nursing care in chronic kidney disease, particularly in terms of strengthening patient participation, self-management, and treatment adherence. Therefore, integrating this model into nursing care in chronic disease management and dialysis units is recommended.
