In This Issue   January Quality Improvement Activity (QIA) Learning and Action Networks (LANs) 2020 National Patient and Family Engagement (NPFE)-Learning and Action Network (LAN) Subject Matter Experts (SME) Recruitment Tips for Caregivers Handout Now Available   New Resources Added to the Patient Grant Library Managing Retaliation in the Dialysis Setting Resources Now Available Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) Watch Newsletter—December 2019

Quality Improvement

January LANs The End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) National Coordinating Center (NCC) LAN meetings connect stakeholders from across the continuum of care in support of meeting quality improvement and patient/family engagement goals for the ESRD population. The LANs help foster cross-setting communication and collaboration, and provide a platform for sharing and quickly spreading best practices.   Below is an overview of the January LAN topics. Meetings are open to ESRD patients, providers, and community stakeholders across all Network service areas. Each meeting provides one continuing education unit (CEU).  January 7: Blood Stream Infections (BSIs) The QIA LAN will feature Jerome Bailey and Kim Buettner, from the ESRD NCC, along with a Patient SME from the BSI Affinity Group to review the resources developed by the 2019 BSI Affinity Group. January 12: Home Dialysis Join Jerome Bailey and Kim Buettner, from the ESRD NCC, featuring a Home Patient SME to discuss the vision and goals for the 2020 NPFE-LAN and the Affinity Groups. January 21: Transplant Together, Jerome Baily and Kim Buettner, from the ESRD NCC, and a Kidney Transplant Affinity Group Patient SME will explain how Affinity Groups support the QIA LAN. Registration details will be sent out in December.

Implementation of September 2019 QIA LAN Interventions The following are the implemented interventions for the September QIA LAN reported in November post-event survey:

Patient and Family Engagement

Resources from the 2020 NPFE-LAN SME Recruitment The deadline to submit SME nominations for the NPFE-LAN is Friday, December 20, 2019 . The ESRD Network contract requires each Network to submit one SME from each sate in the Network’s geographic region to participate in the NPFE-LAN including one: Family member/caregiver Home dialysis patient Transplant recipient The NCC Statement of Work directs the NCC to request that at least one SME be a new participant of the NPFE-LAN. These requirements are included as part of the total number of SME nominations, not in addition. Due to the level of participation expected from the NPFE-LAN SMEs, the NCC is requesting patient SMEs not be assigned to other Network QIAs unless the SME specifically requests additional activities. SME nominations should be emailed to Jerome Bailey via the QualityNet Secure File Exchange.

Tips for Caregivers Handout Now Available Families provide the majority of the care to people living with kidney failure. Caring for someone with kidney disease can be an overwhelming experience. Some caregivers may become so focused on their loved one that they may neglect their own health or well-being. Members of the ESRD NCC NPFE-LAN developed the Tips for Kidney Caregivers handout. It addresses some of the emotional health issues of caregivers by providing practical advice and suggestions. Download Tips for Caregivers (PDF) now and share with facility staff members, patients, and family members.

Managing Retaliation in the Dialysis Setting Retaliation in the dialysis setting is when patients feel like they are being punished for speaking up about the level of care they receive. To reduce patient fears of retaliation and help educate dialysis staff members lessen patient fears of retaliation, NPFE-LAN Legacy SMEs partnered with CMS to create two resources on managing retaliation. To download the patient resource, Thriving Without Fear: Managing Retaliation , visit the ESRD NCC website. To download the staff member resource, Tips for Dialysis Staff to Identify and Manage Retaliation , visit the ESRD NCC website.

New Resources Added to the Patient Grant Library Do you have a patient who is looking for resources to attend college? Do you know about a patient whose child is interested in pursuing training to learn new skills? The Patient Grant Library offers information about scholarships and recently added resources to its Scholarship Section . The scholarship resources posted on the Patient Grant Library offer a variety of opportunities for funding. Some scholarships are specific for people affected by kidney disease and others are offered for health conditions related to kidney disease. Visit today and share these valuable resources with dialysis facility staff and patients. If you have new ideas for content or want to share a success story, send an email to nccinfo@hsag.com .

Mark Your Calendar

December 1–7, National Handwashing Awareness Week National Handwashing Awareness Week takes place each year during the first week of December. The week will highlight the importance of decreasing the spread of infectious diseases by reminding us to wash our hands, especially during cold and flu season. For additional hand hygiene information visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). December 1–7, National Influenza Vaccination Week Have you received your flu vaccine? The best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. The CDC established National Influenza Vaccination Week to bring awareness to the importance of continuing flu vaccinations through the holiday season and beyond. Visit the CDC website to learn more. January 1–31, National Blood Donor Month The American Red Cross urges people to share their good health and resolve to give blood regularly, beginning in January with National Blood Donor Month. For detailed donor eligibility questions, call 1.800.RED.CROSS (1.800.733.2767) or visit Red Cross Blood.org . January 1–31, Glaucoma Awareness Month Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation , more than 3 million Americans have glaucoma and experts estimate half of them do not know they have it. January is National Glaucoma Awareness Month, an important time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease.

KCER Watch Newsletter The KCER Watch newsletter was developed to provide timely and relevant emergency preparedness education and information to the renal community, including important news and events from the emergency management field. The December edition of KCER Watch focuses on National Influenza Vaccination Week, Winter Storm Preparedness, and Fire Prevention Safety During the Holidays.  Visit the KCER Watch webpage to access the December edition of KCER Watch and share this resource with others in your service area.

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This material was prepared the End Stage Renal Disease National Coordinating Center (ESRD NCC) contractor, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy nor imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. FL-ESRD NCC-7N5TA2-12052019-01.