Tamara Kear ’10 PhD, RN, CNN, FAAN

Executive Director, American Nephrology Nurses Association
Associate Adjunct Professor, Fitzpatrick College of Nursing

March 28, 2020

Two patients on dialysis were the first deaths in the U.S. from the long-term care facility in Washington state. The CDC went into that dialysis unit and worked with patients and staff resulting in new information that changed CDC guidelines. With COVID-19 and nephrology nurses, there are stories of innovation and unconventional care delivery. There is an increase in numbers of patients with acute kidney injury from COVID-19.  Telehealth is occurring with patients on home dialysis or those needing clinic visits. Transplants are considered essential surgeries and not elective.

There is a great deal of sharing and collaboration between nursing and other healthcare associations right now. We are sharing education materials and resources to prepare nurses for redeployment to unfamiliar settings across our healthcare systems and to fast track newly graduated and retired nurses into practice.

My role currently is to lead the American Nephrology Nursing Association (ANNA) and our members through this pandemic by providing evidence-based resources related to nursing practice, patient care, the virus, and personal protection. ANNA has posted self-care resources and is offering complementary continuing education resources to ANNA members and non-members. The focus is fully on providing support to nurses providing direct and indirect care.