AbstractAimsThe study compares the differences in self‐care knowledge, self‐efficacy, psychological distress and self‐management between patients with early‐ and end‐stage chronic kidney disease (CKD), and predicts the influential factors of self‐management.DesignA cross‐sectional study.MethodsA total of 185 subjects by using convenience sampling from one teaching hospital were collected. The research instruments included the Chronic Kidney Disease Self‐Care Instrument Knowledge, the Chronic Kidney Disease Self‐Efficacy Instrument, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Chronic Kidney Disease Self‐Management Instrument. Descriptive statistics is used frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics is used independent t‐test, one‐way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis. STROBE checklist was used as the guideline for this study.ResultsOur results showed that a significant difference was found in the age (p = 0.005), systolic pressure (p = .006), self‐care knowledge (p = .011) and depression level (p = .003) between patients with early‐ and end‐stage CKD. Furthermore, patients with early‐stage CKD have less self‐care knowledge and lower depression levels compared with patients with end‐stage CKD. However, self‐efficacy is the most significant predictor of self‐management for patients with early‐ and end‐stage CKD. For patients with early‐stage CKD, self‐efficacy explained 69.1% of the variation in self‐management.ConclusionAccording to our results, the management of depression in patients with CKD may improve their outcomes. Improving self‐care knowledge of patients with end‐stage CKD may improve their self‐management. Therefore, our findings suggest various interventions with different necessary and prioritised precision care at early‐ and late‐stage of CKD.Relevance to clinical practice: Nurses should strive to improve the self‐care knowledge of patients with early‐stage CKD to delay the progression of the disease to end‐stage. Screening for depression among patients with end‐stage CKD is relevant, and these patients should be referred to professional counsellors when necessary.