Nephrology nursing journal : journal of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association
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Acute kidney injury, or acute kidney failure, is thought to complicate 5% of hospital admissions (Cheung, Ponnusamy, & Anderton, 2008). Most healthcare providers are likely to encounter patients experiencing acute kidney injury. Nurses and other healthcare professionals can play a vital role in identifying patients at risk for acute kidney injury and aid early intervention by identifying decreased kidney function. This article summarizes the current literature on acute kidney injury, including the definition, pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnostic tests, and current treatments and interventions.