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 

ANNA’s mission is to improve their members' lives through education, advocacy, networking, and science. ANNA develops and updates standards of clinical practice, educates practitioners, stimulates and supports research, disseminates knowledge and new ideas, promotes interdisciplinary communication and cooperation, and monitors and addresses issues encompassing the breadth of practice of nephrology nursing.

ANNA’s commitment is to advance the nephrology nursing specialty and the nurture every ANNA member. To achieve its goals, the organization provides the highest quality educational products, programs, and services. Our members are leaders who advocate for patients, mentor each other, and lobby legislators, all to inspire excellence.

ANNA serves its members through a national structure of over 80 local chapters that make the organization’s services locally available to members. By joining an ANNA chapter, members promote their professional growth, advance nephrology nursing practice, and positively influence patient outcomes.

Chapters provide ANNA members with readily accessible educational programs as well as an effective means to provide input into national issues. Chapters circulate important news and views of their members to the National Office, provide ANNA with essential information to effectively plan programming and influence the decision making of the Association, and enhance ANNA's reputation by communicating and collaborating with other nephrology organizations through workshops and special programs. 

Chapters also offer ANNA members the opportunity to assume leadership roles at the local level. ANNA supports chapter leaders in their leadership development by hosting the annual Volunteer Leaders Workshop and many online resources available in the Chapter Officers Only section.

As the demand for quality nephrology patient care continue to grow, especially with the many changes occurring within health care and, specifically, within the specialty of nephrology, ANNA believes that its nurses are in a unique position to enhance the quality of care delivered to individuals with kidney disease.

They are confident that through the continued education of nephrology nurses through a sound education program, ANNA can have a positive impact on the care of individuals with kidney disease. The organization actively supports research to both develop evidence-based practice as well as to advance nursing science. Furthermore, ANNA supports a team approach to patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration as essential to the delivery of cost-effective, high quality patient care.

Their educational programs include the National Symposium, the Nephrology Nursing practice, Management & Leadership Conference, Local Chapter programs, the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Workshop, an online CNE Library and a Health Policy Workshop. In addition to numerous publications ANNA also designates the second full week in September each year as Nephrology Nurses Week celebrate the nephrology nursing specialty and honor the nurses who care for patients with kidney disease.

For more information, visit: www.annanurse.org