Introduction
Some people just leave you with a sense of strength and positivity, and Carrie Johnson, BSN, RN, CNN, is one of them.
Carrie is the newest member of the NNCC Board of Commissioners. In her position, she will be working with the other board members and the NNCC staff to achieve the vision and goals of the organization.
I've always loved teaching and watching a spark in someone's eye when you’re able to explain a concept in a way that makes sense.
She will also be supporting you as an NNCC certified nurse or technician in your journey to succeed professionally and provide top-quality patient care.
Carrie currently works as a Clinic Manager for Fresenius Kidney Care in Pennsylvania. She told us she was excited and honored to be chosen to serve as an NNCC commissioner.
Read her full interview below and learn how she discovered nephrology nursing and why she is so passionate about the specialty.
Interview
Why did you choose nephrology nursing and what do you love about it?
I started working in acute dialysis at a local hospital in 2011 and fell in love with nephrology nursing.
I was always intrigued with studying fluid-electrolyte imbalances and chose this as a topic to present in nursing school. I realized hemodialysis was essential for helping restore these for patients in kidney failure.
I have worked in the outpatient setting, home therapies, and worked for a time as a treatment option educator.
To this day, I find nephrology nursing to be fascinating and am amazed at how much the kidneys contribute to the overall function of the human body.
How did you initially find NNCC and why did you pick this particular organization?
I began working on becoming a Certified Nephrology Nurse (CNN) in 2014 and studied the ANNA Core Curriculum for Nephrology Nursing for months. It was important for me to demonstrate competency in nephrology nursing, and let my patients know that I was an expert in my field, though I still feel I have a lot to learn!
I was asked to be on the test-writing committee after being contacted by Sandy Bodin, who is currently NNCC’s president-elect, because I had been a high scorer for the CNN exam. I worked on the CNN item-writing committee from 2016 until my last session in February 2020.
What would you like to accomplish as a member of the Board of Commissioners?
I would love to help with NNCC’s outreach and promote the importance of certification in nursing specialties. Demonstrating proficiency and competency in a chosen specialty is crucial for the nursing profession, as we are responsible for educating our patients and promoting best practices.
I would love to continue to grow in my field, and know I will have a lot to learn from the tremendous experiences with the current commissioners.
What motivates you as a human, both personally and professionally?
I love to challenge myself and to help others learn and grow. I actually started my career as an elementary school teacher, and have always loved teaching and watching a spark in someone's eye when you are able to explain a concept in a way that makes sense.
I love having the opportunity to work with newer nephrology nurses and watch how amazed they are that those in kidney failure can experience issues from anemia to brittle bones, and how we work to treat all of these. Many nurses do not realize how very involved nephrology nursing can be.
Please tell us a little more about you.
I live in Pottstown, PA, and am the mother to a 21-year-old, as well as 4-year-old twins. My twins were an unexpected surprise when I turned 43, and are simply my little miracles! My husband is in law enforcement, and we have our dogs - Huck and Howie. We joke that the dogs were our first set of twins since they were rescue puppies from the same litter. We also have a third dog, Sophie, who we adopted after my father passed away.
In my spare time, I love Sudoku puzzles and true crime documentaries. I also love traveling, though this is very limited at present.
Read Carrie’s bio and more information about NNCC’s Board of Commissioners.