Demand Soars for Recently Launched Dialysis Nurse Residency Program as Fresenius Kidney Care Celebrates Nephrology Nurses Week

WALTHAM, Mass., Sept. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresenius Kidney Care, the nation's leading provider of kidney care services, announces its new nurse residency program has supported more than 175 recent graduates, and demand for the program has increased to more than 250 nurses in 2021 and 500 nurses in 2022. The residency program for graduate nurses is the first of its kind in dialysis and serves as an educational transition for nephrology practice. This announcement comes as Fresenius Kidney Care celebrates Nephrology Nurses Week with a range of programs and events that support dialysis nurses.

"Fresenius Kidney Care founded this innovative nurse development program to build upon our University Relations initiative focused on recruiting graduate nurses from colleges and universities nationwide," said Hillary Mohindra, Director of University Relations at Fresenius Kidney Care. "By growing our own nursing talent, we not only have the opportunity to fill vacant nursing positions, but also to mold novice nurses into future leaders within the organization."

As the nationwide nursing shortage continues, this innovative program introduces nurses to nephrology with a 12-to-15-month residency. Residents are supported holistically. Not only do they experience the program with the support of their cohort, they are also provided with a nurse mentor in their local area, as well as support from other leaders in the organization. This program continues to evolve, expanding its education scope from in-center therapies and in-patient services to offering shadow experience for home therapies in 2022.

"It's been wonderful to see our nurse residents come through the program," said Kimberly Vukovic, Director of Clinical Education for Fresenius Kidney Care. "This program is a fantastic way to expose new graduates to nephrology nursing. Nephrology nursing is unique, and we are committed to helping our residents achieve their goals through learning, mentorship, and first-hand experience."

Fresenius Kidney Care is committed to furthering and growing the nephrology nurse profession, by investing in our employees' and future nurses' growth, professional development, and career advancement. Through the company's collaborative partnership with the American Nephrology Nurses Association (ANNA), Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) funds an ongoing membership program and provides scholarship dollars to provide ongoing education support to nurses dedicated to caring for people living with chronic kidney disease.

Nephrology nurses devote their lives to providing superior care and stay beside every patient every step of the way. Patients living with kidney disease face unique challenges that require the support of expert nurses to help them thrive. That dedication has been especially apparent this past year during times of unprecedented challenges and change due to the global pandemic.

Nephrology Nurses Week, observed September 12 through 18 this year, celebrates the dedication, compassion, and commitment of nurses who make a difference in the lives of people living with kidney disease. ANNA launched Nephrology Nurses Week to give employers, patients, and others the opportunity to thank nephrology nurses for their life-saving work and to help recruit new nurses to the field of nephrology.

About Fresenius Kidney Care
Fresenius Kidney Care, a division of Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA), provides dialysis treatment and support services to more than 200,000 people with kidney disease every year whether in their own homes or at more than 2,600 facilities nationwide. Fresenius Kidney Care's dedicated teams help address the physical and emotional aspects of kidney disease through personalized care, education, and lifestyle support services. For more information about Fresenius Kidney Care, visit www.FreseniusKidneyCare.com.

About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America (FMCNA) is the premier healthcare company focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of dialysis facilities and outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, Fresenius Medical Care North America provides coordinated healthcare services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world's largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products, and renal pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website.

Media contact
Brad Puffer
Fresenius Medical Care North America
781-699-3331
[email protected]

SOURCE Fresenius Medical Care Holdings, Inc.