BackgroundPeer support is valued by its users. Nevertheless, there is initial low take‐up of formal peer support programmes among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), with fewer patients participating than expressing an interest. There is little evidence on reasons for low participation levels. Few studies have examined the perspectives of carers.ObjectiveTo explore with CKD patients and carers their needs, wants and expectations from formal peer support and examine how barriers to participation may be overcome.MethodsQualitative interviews with a sample of 26 CKD stage five patients and carers. Principles of Grounded Theory were applied to data coding and analysis.SettingSix NHS Hospital Trusts.ResultsWhilst informal peer support might occur naturally and is welcomed, a range of emotional and practical barriers inhibit take‐up of more formalized support. Receptivity varies across time and the disease trajectory and is associated with emotional readiness; patients and carers needing to overcome complex psychological hurdles such as acknowledging support needs. Practical barriers include limited understanding of peer support. An attractive peer relationship is felt to involve reciprocity based on sharing experiences and both giving and receiving support. Establishing rapport is linked with development of reciprocity.ConclusionsThere is potential to facilitate active uptake of formal peer support by addressing the identified barriers. Our study suggests several facilitation methods, brought together in a conceptual model, including clinician promotion of peer support as an intervention suitable for anyone with CKD and their carers, and opportunity for choice of peer supporter.

We conducted a systematic search of qualitative research into the individual's experience of chronic low back pain. Two reviewers independently read through 740 unique abstracts. Inter-rater reliability was fair. The final sample comprised 19 articles which we critiqued using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. This article focuses on the critical appraisal. Limitations include a lack of an adequate rationale for the theoretical framework, a lack of an account for the decisions made across recruitment and data collection, and a lack of reflexivity. Finally we discuss and offer recommendations for reflexivity and the explication of qualitative methodology in research articles.

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This paper evaluates the use of storyboarding within a classroom setting as a means of addressing end of life issues and engaging second year student nurses in creative, critical thinking and deeper reflection on practice. Storyboarding is a process that was developed to encourage learners to use the creative right brain and the critical left brain to formulate ideas in front of a group and then to look at those ideas critically (Lottier, 1986). The session was evaluated using a questionnaire and group discussion to elicit perceived learning from students. The activity was to create the storyboards in small groups, then review the content generated by discussion with the whole group. Main themes identified by the students included breaking bad news, dealing with cardiac arrest situation, coping with families following bereavement and the dying patient. Evaluation of the teaching session suggested that students found storyboarding helped to identify cultural aspects and feelings related to the dying patient. Students valued sharing with each other and the opportunity to have their experiences heard. It was noted that although this method provided as valuable learning experience for the student it is staff and time intensive and attention is required to establish a climate of trust and safety. The risk of exposing unexpected emotions within individual students appears no greater than with other approaches to teaching about loss, death and dying.