ANNA Member Spotlight
Welcome to ANNA's monthly member spotlight. ANNA is a vibrant organization because of nurses like you! Your diverse experiences and unique perspectives make us a collective whole that is a masterpiece. We are proud of the work each of you do!
If you would like to be featured, participate in our online community, ANNA Connected. Members are featured in the Member Spotlight based on their engagement in ANNA Connected, so start connecting, talking, and getting to know other ANNA members via ANNA Connected.
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Nikeyia Davis, MBA-HCM, MSN, AGPCNP-C, CNN, FNKFNephrology Nurse Practitioner |
How long have you been a nurse?
Almost 7 years.
How long have you been in nephrology ?
23 years. I started as a dialysis technician. Now, I am a nephrology nurse practitioner.
What is unique about nephrology nursing?
In nephrology nursing, depending on your specialty, you have an opportunity to really connect with patients and their families. We have the chance to celebrate some of the best times in our patients' lives, such as regaining strength, independence, improved health, rehabilitation, and transplant, to name a few.
What do you value most about your ANNA membership?
ANNA membership allows us to take advantage of learning opportunities dedicated to our patient population, introduces us to leadership and volunteer roles that help us grow in our career, and build meaningful relationships with nurses across the country when we attend the high-quality conferences and symposia.
What would you tell a newly practicing nurse about nephrology nursing?
Give yourself 6 months to a year to become comfortable in the role. Once you are comfortable, seek out opportunities to become an expert in your specialty. Become involved in your chapter and chapter activities, take advantage of what ANNA offers members, and attend at least one national conference to experience the camaraderie among other nephrology nurses. I also advise new nurses to find a mentor at work and/or outside of work to help satisfy their career goals.
Do you have a favorite patient story?
When I used to train patients for peritoneal dialysis and home hemodialysis, I found satisfaction when patients who thought they were not able to do their dialysis by themselves, especially older adults or an individual with a disability, learned how to do it and were successful for the long term. We would reflect on how far they had come. These same patients went on to encourage new patients who felt the same way they did when they started.
What do you enjoy doing when you are not working as a nurse?
I absolutely love cooking. I admittedly have a lot of saved Tik Tok recipes I need to try!
Share an interesting fact about yourself.
I own 15 different versions of Monopoly.