Nephrology nurses to be honored this week

Northern Montana Health CareNorthern Montana Health Care will join the American Nephrology Nurses’ Association in a nationwide celebration honoring nephrology nurses during “Nephrology Nurses Week,” Sept. 14-20.

Nephrology nurses care for patients with kidney disease and provide lifesaving care each day.

To honor their passion and commitment, ANNA has designated the second full week in September each year as Nephrology Nurses Week.

ANNA has chosen the theme “Nephrology Nurses: Special Treasures” for this year’s celebration. Nephrology nurses use their vision, knowledge and skills to take action and improve patient outcomes.

They are the "treasures of our specialty" as they make a positive difference in the lives of dialysis patients and their families every day. Caring for dialysis patients requires nurses to be highly skilled, well-educated and motivated. These nurses cite the variety and challenges of the specialty as fueling their ongoing passion.

ANNA launched Nephrology Nurses Week in 2005 to give employers, patients and others the opportunity to thank dialysis nurses for their life-saving work. In addition, ANNA also hopes to spark interest in other nurses about the multifaceted career opportunities available in nephrology. One of the most diverse nursing specialties practiced today, these nurses care for patients of all ages who have or are at risk of kidney disease.

“Northern Montana Health Care is very proud of our dialysis unit,” said Brenda Sturm, a registered nurse and vice president of patient care services. “Nephrology Nurses Week is the ideal time for patients and employers to express their appreciation to their dialysis nurses and to celebrate their part in how NMHC provides quality, caring service to our patients.”

The dialysis unit at Northern Montana Hospital opened in 1995, after a successful fundraising campaign by the Northern Montana Health Care Foundation. Having been expanded and up-dated in both 2002 and 2008, the Dialysis Unit now has six stations serving more than 30 patients with the assistance of these nephrology nurses. At NMHC the Dialysis Unit includes: Tina Anderson, RN; Nicki Branden, RN; Casea Barnett, RN; Una Ford, RN; Jodi Korb, RN; Tonya Paulson, RN; Renelle Ruhkamp, RN, and Wendy Wertheimer, RN.

More information about the work of nephrology nurses and Nephrology Nurses Week is available at http://www.annanurse.org/NNW. For more information about Northern Montana Health Care, visit http://www.NMHcare.org.