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This week marks the start of Nephrology Nurses Week! We would truly not accomplish all that we do without our brilliant all-star team of nurses and nurse practitioners, so we thought what better way to celebrate them than by sharing their pivotal roles at ANC and contributions to the healthcare field at large. Continue reading to gain a better sense of all our nurses and nurse practitioners do for families, patients, and providers alike!
Why Nephrology
If you ask our nurses and NPs “Why nephrology?” they could give you a myriad of reasons. For one, the kidneys impact so much of the body’s other functions, making it highly interconnected to our overall health. As a result, nephrology is a very stimulating and complex discipline with responsibilities that shift day-to-day.
Being A Nurse or NP In Nephrology
Our nurses wear many hats – from being the first person patients meet upon arrival to clinic, to assisting in administering patient medications and diagnostic procedures (labs/vitals etc). The American Nephrology Nurses Association states that “a nephrology nurse acts as a patient teacher and advocate, assisting the patient in seeking information, assuring the patient has the opportunity for informed consent for treatment decisions, and promoting the maximal level of patient-desired independence.”
The degree of collaboration is crucial in healthcare settings, especially in nephrology. Our nurses and NPs tend to work across multiple facilities and their bandwidth is constantly fluctuating. Oftentimes, our nurse providers will go the extra mile to check in with other hospitals/clinics in their network to message service providers for insights and additional info for patients and doctors, offer support at other facilities, communicate questions and information from families and patients to the nephrologist or APP (advanced Practice Provider such as an NP or PA) on duty.
Learning Process
Nurse Practitioners who work in nephrology have to learn how to identify and treat acute and chronic kidney disease, hypertension, kidney stones, and all of the associated issues that impact the kidneys and their effects on the body. Many nurses and NPs come in with a solid base level of comprehension in nephrology, exposure to many patient cases, simple or complex, and trials over time help to facilitate eventual expertise.
Typical Day-In-The-Life
Nephrology nurses take on a variety of tasks day in and day out. NPs can circulate in hospitals, clinics, and dialysis units, checking on patients, administering treatment plans, and communicating pertinent info to the nephrology team as needed. Nurses with advanced practice degrees (APPs or NPs) can treat patients during hospital visits, dialysis rounds, or clinic appointments, similar to and often in conjunction with a nephrologist. The role of nephrology NPs is very independent, but collaborating with staff and other providers is something that stands out in the nephrology field specifically.
Through admitting patients, taking care of their in-clinic needs, directing dialysis prescriptions, and developing medical care plans, nephrology nurses come to establish very close relationships with patients and their families over the course of their treatment.
A unique challenge that comes with the role is managing patients who struggle to adopt the sometimes complicated, but necessary, treatment regimens that must be prescribed to optimize health. For nephrology nurses and NPs, a key factor in remedying this is bridging the gap between recommended treatment compliance with regard to a patient’s treatment plan, and learning to identify and accommodate the goals of care from both the provider and patient’s perspective.
Commonly Encountered Conditions
CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease) is a common issue that nephrology nurses help to manage. Patients with CKD through many rounds of treatment, dialysis, and lifestyle changes to help reclaim their kidney health and prevent it from worsening. Our nurses support them by focusing on the individual habits and co-morbidities that can impact each patient’s outcomes. This task also requires a deep knowledge of how to convey complex information in a way that is direct yet considerate of the patient’s understanding of their condition.
At ANC, our team likes to employ the use of analogies to help patients relate to their conditions a bit better and bridge any knowledge gaps. In supporting patients, nephrology nurses focus on keeping conversations personal, helping patients feel connected, and going the extra mile to follow up with family members, patients, or providers (when requested) to update them on a patient's health after visits.
Advice For Future Nurses, From Our Nurses
To those pursuing a similar path of nursing, or who are decided on nephrology, our team has a few words of wisdom!
Don’t Forget to Take Care of Yourself
Nephrology nursing can be emotionally demanding, so practicing self-care is of utmost importance to maintain well-being while caring for patients with complex acute and chronic conditions. Given the degree of care and relationship-building nurses forge with their nephrology patients, taking the time to disconnect while off-duty is important to setting reasonable work-life boundaries.
Remember Why You’re Doing It!
Nephrology is a highly rewarding field! Remember that though each discipline comes with its fair share of challenges, nephrology is an area where you are constantly striving to learn more. It’s complex, social, and emotional, and offers near-constant opportunities to help patients in need. Our patients are our focus! They struggle through many complicated medical issues and lifestyle adjustments, so helping make their lives better is the ultimate reward.
We truly believe that our ANC nurses and nurse practitioners are some of the best! Join us in celebrating their contributions to nephrology and patient care throughout this week across our socials. At our clinic, we value your needs and are confident in our team’s ability to not just acknowledge your kidney concerns but help you work through them with the best comfort and care. Drop by any of our locations to discuss how we can achieve your kidney health goals together.
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