Organization Information
The organization I have chosen is the National Kidney Foundation (the NKF). Nurses pay $110 for one-year and $205 for two years of membership; students’ membership costs $25 per year (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). Several meetings are planned, including meetings in Orlando, FL (at Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin) on April 18 – 22, 2017, Austin, TX (at Austin Convention Center) on April 10 – 14, 2018. Fees are different: $400 for nurses (NKF members), $510 for non-members; full-time students that proved their status pay $25 fee (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). The books the organization offers include Healing The Spirit by Robin Cowherd (for donor families) or Healing Your Grieving Heart for Teens: 100 Practical Ideas by Alan D. Wolfelt (for teenagers that lost a relative/friend); the headquarters of the organization are located in New York (30 East 33rd Street) (National Kidney Foundation, 2016).
The foundation has many offices, including ones in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, etc.; this organization aims to raise awareness of kidney disease, prevent and treat it, and their target public are healthcare professionals, patients, and Americans at risk (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). Other groups that can be found on the website are ‘Donate Life America’ and ‘BBB Wise Giving Alliance’; the charity organization ‘giving.sg’ recommends the NKF on their website. The official journal of the NKF is American Journal of Kidney Diseases, and it is published every month; the organization also publishes The Journal of Renal Nutrition, Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease, and others (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). According to the website, the history of the NKF began in 1950 when Ada and Harry DeBold started meetings of the Committee for Nephrosis Research (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). The foundation offers different education programs, travel grants, and research grants for nurses; the organization also offers Richard K. Salick Scholarship Fund: graduating high school or home-schooled seniors, as well as students, are allowed to apply (National Kidney Foundation, 2016). I would be interested in joining the NKF because they are a serious organization with decades of experience behind it; plus, many useful contacts and acquaintances could be made during the scholarship in the NKF.
Patient-Centered Care
Patient-centered care is an issue that has been widely discussed among scientists and professionals; it is a new approach to the treatment where both the generalization and details are considered. The aim of the patient-centered care is to make the patient feel like a partner of the physician and bring solidarity and collaboration in the relationships between them (Epstein & Street, 2011, p. 102). During my work experience, there were patients who needed to stay informed almost 24/7, and no matter how tired I was or even if it was my day off, I always answered their messages and went through reassuring conversations about their health and future. The families of the patients were not excluded from the treatment and decision making; moreover, one of my patients had asked me to inform almost all family members about the disease progression and changes in treatment, because, according to him, he and his family felt that they were able to take control over the situation. Another principle that I used was allowing current and discharged patients to organize meetings with me and other caregivers to analyze and improve the treatment process and understand what the patients need and wish for during it. The patient-centered care has significantly improved the process of recovery; it was stated both by patients and me.
References
Epstein, R. M., & Street, R. L. (2011). The values and value of patient-centered care. The Annals of Family Medicine, 9(2), 100-103.
National Kidney Foundation. (2016). Awareness. Prevention. Treatment. Web.