4/20/05 - First Annual 'Nephrology Nurses Week' To Honor Nurses' Life-saving Work

April 20, 2005

Contact: Linda Alexander

856-256-2300, ext. 2411 • linda@ajj.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

First Annual ‘Nephrology Nurses Week’ To Honor Nurses’ Life-saving Work

The American Nephrology Nurses’ Association (ANNA) earmarks

September 11-17, 2005 to celebrate nurses’ skills, passion, and commitment. 



Pitman, NJ – 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.

In 2005, the event will be celebrated September 11-17 across the country with activities recognizing and rewarding nephrology nurses.

ANNA officially announced Nephrology Nurses Week on April 20, during the Nephrology Nurse Day Luncheon held  at the ANNA 36th Annual Symposium, April 18-21, 2005, in Las Vegas, NV.

ANNA launched Nephrology Nurses Week to give employers, patients, and others the opportunity to thank nephrology 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, nephrology nurses care for patients of all ages who have, or are at risk for, kidney disease.

ANNA has chosen the theme “Nephrology Nurses: Caring for a Lifetime” for Nephrology Nurses Week. The theme highlights the teamwork, closeness, and compassion that develops between nephrology nurses, patients, and families during what is often a long-term care plan. Caring for kidney patients requires nurses to be highly skilled, well educated, and motivated, and nephrology nurses cite the variety and challenges of the specialty as fueling their ongoing passion.

“Nephrology nurses have to understand every organ system in the body and recognize many complex disease processes,” said ANNA President Suzann VanBuskirk, BSN, RN, CNN. “Patients and employers see both the demands and joys the nurses experience, and by spotlighting Nephrology Nurses Week, we are giving them the opportunity to express their appreciation to the nurses.”

To promote Nephrology Nurses Week, ANNA has produced a glossy, four color, 11” x 14” poster for employers and organizations to display. To obtain a copy of the Nephrology Nurses Week poster, call 888-600-2662 or visit ANNA’s Web site at www.annanurse.org. Additional details and ideas for celebrating Nephrology Nurses Week are available at www.annanurse.org.

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ANNA is a professional association comprised of 11,900 nephrology nurses. Its mission is to advance nephrology nursing practice and positively influence outcomes for patients with kidney disease processes requiring replacement therapies through advocacy, scholarship, and excellence.