Mrs CARMEN MORONEY1, Dr LUCINDA WYNTER1,2, Dr JOHN SAUNDERS3, Dr BRENDAN SMYTH5,6, Ms ROWENA MONTEVERDE3, Mrs LISA TIENSTRA4, Dr LILIJANA GORRINGE2, Mrs KYLIE TURNER5, Dr SREERAM VENUGOPAL12, Dr LEYLA AOUAD7, Dr AMY KING8,9, Dr GEORGE MANGOS5,10, Dr SHAUNDEEP SEN4,2, Dr STEVE CHADBAN3,11
1CANTERBURY HOSPITAL, SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT , CAMPSIE, AUSTRALIA, 2CONCORD CLINICAL SCHOOL, FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 3DEPARTMENT OF RENAL MEDICINE, ROYAL PRINCE ALFRED HOSPITAL, SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT , CAMPERDOWN, AUSTRALIA, 4CONCORD HOSPITAL, SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT, CONOCORD, AUSTRALIA, 5DEPARTMENT OF RENAL MEDICINE, ST GEORGE HOSPITAL, SOUTH EASTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT , KOGARAH, AUSTRALIA, 6NHMRC CLINICAL TRIALS CENTRE, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY , CAMPERDOWN, AUSTRALIA, 7LIVERPOOL HOSPITAL, SOUTH WESTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT , LIVERPOOL, AUSTRALIA, 8PRINCES OF WALES HOSPITAL, SOUTH EASTERN SYDNEY LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICT, RANDWICK, AUSTRALIA, 9THE GEORGE INSTITUE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH, UNSW, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 10SCHOOL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE, UNSW MEDICINE AND HEALTH, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 11KIDNEY NODE, CHARLES PERKINS CENTRE, FACULTY OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY , SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, 12TOWNSVILLE HOSPITAL, TOWNSVILLE, AUSTRALIA
Biography:
Carmen Moroney is a renal nurse with more than 20 years’ experience across the Sydney Local Health District. In 2024, she was appointed Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Stewardship Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) for the district. In 2025, she became the first CKD CNC at Canterbury Hospital, while continuing in her role as the SLHD CKD Stewardship Coordinator. She is passionate about kidney health, and champions early detection and evidence-based management. Most recently she was part of the Kidney Health Australia’s National Summit, and serves on the Nephrology Statewide Referral Criteria Clinical Advisory Group
Abstract:
Background: Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) affects 14% of Australian adults, yet up to 90% remain undiagnosed or are detected late due to its silent progression. Early intervention slows disease progression, reduces cardiovascular risk, shortens hospital stays, and lowers the likelihood of dialysis-dependent kidney failure. Despite routine inpatient blood tests, CKD detection is often missed because strategies focus mainly on primary care. The novel CKD Stewardship (CKD-S) program addresses this gap through opportunistic inpatient detection and early intervention.
Aim: To improve early CKD detection, management, and education within inpatient care.
Methods: Since March 2024, CKD-S has been successfully implemented across the Sydney Local Health District. Admitted patients with an estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) <45 mL/min/1.73m², not known to a nephrologist are identified via electronic medical records. A Kidney Clinical Nurse Consultant (CNC) screens patients, a nephrologist reviews files remotely and provides management advice to admitting teams. The CNC delivers bedside education, a letter with guideline-directed medical therapy is sent to general practitioners and group education sessions provided to patients and their families.
Results: Over 12 months, CKD-S identified 483 patients with an eGFR <45 mL/min/1.73m²; 50% were unaware of having kidney issues. CKD documentation increased from 25% to 50%, and urine testing from 5% to 32% by discharge. More than 30 nephrology referrals were made. Individual education reached 78% of patients, with group sessions engaging 44 patients.
Conclusion: The CKD-S program improves timely intervention, patient empowerment, stronger primary care collaboration, and is scalable across health services to enhance kidney care.