National Kidney Foundation Honors Clinical Nurse Specialist with Prestigious Carol Mattix Award

NEW YORK, March 26, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Next month, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) will honor Jennifer Kortyna, MSN, RN, CNN, Clinical Nurse Specialist at University of Wisconsin Health, with the prestigious Carol Mattix Award. The award is presented annually at the NKF Spring Clinical Meetings.

Each year NKF considers the work of hundreds of specialists in the field of nephrology and selects among them those who most exemplify the relentless efforts of the NKF to enhance the lives of patients through action, education and accelerating change.

Work that is vital to the 35 million adults in the U.S. who are affected by chronic kidney disease and the 1 in 3 people who are at risk.

Among these awards is the Carol Mattix Award. This award was established in honor of Carol Mattix, a home dialysis training nurse of the last century who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of kidney patients.

"Winning the Carol Mattix Award is a true honor and an even bigger surprise. It is exciting to help patients along their journey to choose home dialysis and improve their quality of life and health," said Kortyna. "Working to support their health has brought me great joy. As a hospital CNS, I hope others like me continue to strive to increase the choices and improve the quality of the services offered."

Kortyna's first experience with kidney disease happened as a nursing student in 1990, when she was sent to the hemodialysis center to see what happens in dialysis. The patient she shadowed was not having an easy time, and the experience shocked her.

"When I started working on a renal medical specialty unit in the hospital, it was such an eye-opener," said Kortyna. "These people are in need of advocates and there are so many opportunities to help, it feels good to know you can make a difference."

Jennifer was instrumental in launching an urgent peritoneal dialysis program and creating educational classes focused on this treatment options. She believes that patients should be empowered to make their own treatment decisions and works closely with outpatient units to ensure a smooth transition from hospital to community care.

"Today, we celebrate not only exceptional healthcare delivery but the dedication and compassion that truly define nephrology nursing," said Dr. Kirk Campbell, President of the National Kidney Foundation. "Ms. Kortyna exemplifies the highest standards of excellence in care, demonstrating unwavering commitment to patients and the community. This award is a testament to the heart and skill that she brings to every aspect of nursing, making a lasting impact on everyone she serves" 

Jennifer has extensive experience across all age groups and renal replacement therapies. Her leadership roles include serving as Clinical Educator and Clinical Nurse Specialist, as well as five years of service as president, president-elect, and treasurer of the local chapter of the American Nephrology Nurses Association. Jennifer has also contributed to several KEEP screenings and the planning of local NKF symposia. She holds an MSN in Nursing Education from Grand Canyon University.

Kortyna has dedicated her life to driving initiatives to offer patients more choices and improve how these services are provided. Currently she is working with partners to improve the care of people seeking dialysis through the emergency department due to discharge from dialysis centers. 

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings

For more than 30 years, nephrology healthcare professionals from across the country have come to NKF Spring Clinical Meetings to learn about the newest developments related to all aspects of nephrology practice; network with colleagues; and present their research findings. The NKF Spring Clinical Meetings are designed for meaningful change in the multidisciplinary and interprofessional healthcare teams' skills, performance, and patient health outcomes. It is the only conference of its kind that focuses on translating science into practice for the entire healthcare team. This year's Spring Clinical Meetings will be held April 9-13 in Boston.

Kidney Disease

In the United States, more than 35 million adults are estimated to have kidney disease, also known as chronic kidney disease (CKD)—and approximately 90 percent don't know they have it. About 1 in 3 adults in the U.S. are at risk for kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include: diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, and family history. People of Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, or Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. Black or African American people are about four times as likely as White people to have kidney failure. Hispanics experience kidney failure at about double the rate of White people.

NKF Professional Membership

Healthcare professionals can join NKF to receive access to tools and resources for both patients and professionals, discounts on professional education, and access to a network of thousands of individuals who treat patients with kidney disease. Visit https://www.kidney.org/membership to learn more and join our community today.

About the National Kidney Foundation

The National Kidney Foundation is revolutionizing the fight to save lives by eliminating preventable kidney disease, accelerating innovation for the dignity of the patient experience, and dismantling structural inequities in kidney care, dialysis, and transplantation. For more information about kidney disease, please visit www.kidney.org/.

SOURCE National Kidney Foundation