Sensing Savvy

Definition of Nephrology Nursing: a specialty practice addressing the protection, promotion, and optimization of health abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities and populations affected by kidney disease.

Since it was established as a nonprofit organization in 1969, the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) has been serving its 8,500 members who span the spectrum of nephrology nursing. ANNA membership consists of registered nurses and other health care professionals who work in all areas of renal care such as conservative management, peritoneal dialysis, hemodialysis, continuous renal replacement therapies, transplantation, industry, and government/regulatory agencies. Most of 

When Professor Dr. Seiji Ohira, the Director of the Japanese Society for Dialysis Access (JSDA), passed away on September 5th, 2017, the vascular access community lost one of the founding fathers. Professor Ohira was inspirational in the establishment of a collaboration among the premier vascular access scientific societies, namely the Japanese Society of Dialysis Access, the Vascular Access Society, and the Vascular Access Society of the Americas.

The European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association (EDTNA/ERCA) motto is “True Partnership and Global Approach in Management of Renal Care.”

In 1985, Suzanne Herbst, RN, MA, was working as a home infusion clinician in San Francisco, caring for patients and friends with AIDS. She realized that clinicians' knowledge of vascular access and vascular access devices (VADs) varied widely with some knowing very little. She noted that this lack of knowledge also applied to healthcare institutions and consumers. Important issues such as consumer education, care and maintenance procedures, catheter-related complications and their management were rife with incomplete and inconsistent information. The unknowns, the discrepancies, and the misunderstandings about these critical lifelines likely led to serious problems. Devices were inserted by healthcare professionals and used, and maintained clinicians, and consumers with little or no up-to-date information.

To honor the dedicated nephrology nurses who care for patients with kidney disease, the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA) has designated the second full week in September each year as Nephrology Nurses Week. ANNA is proud to honor nephrology nurses throughout the year, but especially during Nephrology Nurses Week.

There’s no doubt about it: professionals who are overworked and suffering from sleep deprivation are less efficient and more likely to make mistakes than those who work shorter hours and take time off between shifts to rest and recharge. This is why airline pilots, railroad engineers and commercial truck drivers all have caps on the number of hours they can work without time off.

However, when it comes to surgeon work hours, the concept of capping is much more controversial.

In late May 2018, the European Union officially implemented the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a law that affects every organization collecting and storing EU citizens’ data, regardless of where they’re based.

Freedom from the use of a central venous catheter (CVC) is a goal for many end-stage-renal disease (ESRD) patients. They should work together with their Dialysis Care Team to develop a patient-focused vascular access plan to be followed at all sites of care whether it be at dialysis clinic; access center; hospital or outpatient facility. 

While central venous catheters serve well as a short-term solution or bridge to a more permanent access, they should not, if possible, be used as a permanent lifeline for dialysis administration. The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS) Fistula First, Catheter Last Breakthrough Initiative advocates catheter reduction and avoidance if possible because they are prone to infection and thrombosis. To help avert problems with catheters, patients should learn about catheter safety, and plan for a more permanent arteriovenous access to achieve catheter freedom.

You may have wondered about the abbreviations after your dialysis nurse or tech’s name. Whether it be CNN NP; CNN; CDN; CD-LPN, CD-LVN CCHT or CCHT-A the abbreviations indicate that your dialysis care team member has taken measures to improve the care that they can provide. They have passed a test developed by the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC) in order to receive additional certification in dialysis care.