A description is provided of a course, "Care of the Patient with Renal Disease," offered at the community college level to prepare licensed registered nurses to care for patients with renal disease, including instruction in performing the treatments of peritoneal dialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The first sections of the description provide general course information, a list of units of instruction, a list of instructional materials, information on class assignments and clinical practice, and a glossary. The bulk of the paper consists of descriptions of the following course units: (1) Anatomy and Basic Physiology of the Kidney; (2) Renal Physiology and Fluid and Electrolyte Balance; (3) Acute Renal Failure; (4) Chronic Renal Failure; (5) Peritoneal Dialysis; (6) CAPD; and (7) Renal Transplantation. For each unit, a lecture outline, statements of goals and objectives, and a reading list are provided. Finally, grading and course revision are discussed. (LAL)