Nephrology Nurses’ Nutritional Competence in Chronic Kidney Disease Care: A Qualitative Study

Background/Objectives: Nutritional management is a core component of care for patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), and nephrology nurses play a key role in education and clinical monitoring. However, how nurses develop and enact nutritional competence in daily practice remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to explore nephrology nurses’ perceptions and experiences of nutritional management in CKD care. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through semi-structured interviews with 22 nephrology nurses. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis according to Braun and Clarke. Methodological rigor was ensured following trustworthiness criteria, and reporting adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines. Results: The thematic analysis of the interviews identified six main themes: (1) Professional identity and nutritional competence, largely developed through clinical experience rather than structured education. (2) Interprofessional collaboration, perceived as essential but inconsistently implemented. (3) Nutritional education in practice, embedded in daily care and tailored to individual needs. (4) Experiential learning through self-directed nutrition updating. (5) Patient-related challenges, including adherence issues, generational differences, and cultural/educational barriers. (6) Nutritional assessment and decision-making, grounded in routine clinical monitoring and personalized judgment. Participants also highlighted the potential of decision-support tools to enhance personalized nutritional management. Conclusions: Strengthening structured nutritional training, improving interprofessional integration, and implementing shared protocols may enhance the consistency, quality, and safety of nutritional care for patients with CKD, supporting more effective translation of evidence into clinical practice.