Message From the Chairperson: Focus on Professional Involvement

Abstract

Did you ever stop to think about all there is available to our profession? The nephrology dietitian has a wealth of information and opportunity to enrich their professional development as well as enhance their education in the care of the chronic kidney disease patient. Many of us have busy careers along with full personal lives. How do you find the time to stay current or become involved professionally? I would like to take this occasion to summarize resources and opportunities available to the nephrology dietitian. Some prospects require a fair amount of a time commitment and are ideal for people who find themselves in the “empty nest” part of their life or who have been doing their job for an extended amount of time and want to explore new horizons. Others provide educational development and chances to network on a tighter timetable. All provide an opening for the nephrology dietitian to connect with a bigger picture while meeting the needs of their patients and facility. Membership in the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)/Council on Renal Nutrition and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/Renal Practice Group are 2 avenues to connect you to current trends and educational resources to apply to your practice. The benefits of professional references, such as, the Pocket Guide to Nutritional Assessment of the Patient with Kidney Disease, far exceeds the cost of membership, which is comparable to buying yourself a Starbuck or Dunkin Donut coffee a week. With membership in the NKF/Council on Renal Nutrition and Renal Practice Group, you have access to resources to address all the needs of your practice from continuing education, patient education, research, and references; Journal of Renal Nutrition; and Renal Nutrition Forum. All of which have been analyzed and approved, so you have assurance that you are providing your patients and your facility with scientific research–based information. Time commitment for this is as much or as little as your needs dictate. For the nephrology dietitian who has some time periodically, there are: product reviews that you can do and submit to the product review editor for the Journal of Renal Nutrition, article reviewer for the Journal of Renal Nutrition, journal clubs at your facility, or with a local Council of Renal Nutrition chapter in your area. You also have the occasion of receiving advocacy alerts to send to your legislative representatives to support proposals that benefit the chronic kidney disease patient population. These activities may have some time commitment but come up on a periodic basis. For the nephrology dietitian who wants to expand their leadership skills, there are local and national leadership roles that you are able to pursue. If there is a local Council on Renal Nutrition in your community, you may run for an office in your group or if not, you may want to start a council. Your regional representatives can facilitate finding a council near you or helping you to start a council. They will also provide support for planning meetings and continuing education presentations. NKF membership is not required to belong to a local council, but it is necessary when being an officer in the council. Once you have had some experience in local leadership, you have the chance to be nominated for a national leadership role. Both local and national leadership roles provide a wealth of networking and leadership skill building. The time commitment here is more involved, but generally setting aside a block of time once or twice a month meets the requirements. Another chance to grow in your profession is to take part in projects with the Renal Practice Group and the NKF Council on Renal Nutrition. These projects generally require some independent work as well as conference calls to develop and update resources and references for the nephrology nutrition profession relating to nutrition. Research at your facility is another option the profession offers. The Journal of Renal Nutrition accepts transcripts for research on an ongoing basis. The NKF now has some funding for research projects. The Council on Renal Nutrition will have research funds available for 2017. I sincerely hope that this gives you some ideas about how to have meaningful connections to our profession as nephrology dietitians. If you need further information, please contact me or your region representatives.