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We hope you enjoyed celebrating Nephrology Nurses Week! While the week may have come to a close, our appreciation for certified nephrology nurses continues all year long. As caregivers, it’s important to remember that the first step in providing the best care for your patients is taking care of yourself. Prioritizing self-care isn’t just important—it’s essential to being your best, both personally and professionally.
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Your Story...
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My Journey in Nephrology Nursing
By Stan Langhofer, CNN
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 My name is Stan Langhofer, and I have been a Certified Nephrology Nurse for over 30 years.
My journey into dialysis began in 1981 as a biomed technician at St. Francis Hospital in Topeka, Kansas. Although I had originally planned to take over the family farm, time spent with my wife, Theresa, serving at a children’s home in Reynosa, Mexico, helped me realize that nursing was my true calling. That calling deepened as I worked with dialysis patients and discovered the great joy and purpose it brought me. Soon after, I entered nursing school at Washburn University.
When Kansas Dialysis Services (KDS) was formed as a joint venture between Stormont Vail Regional Medical Center and St. Francis, I was offered the newly created role of Education Coordinator. KDS had grown to multiple clinics serving over 500 patients with 100 staff members, and I embraced the challenge of building our staff education program. I’ll never forget the impact of a workshop led by Gail Wick—her energy was contagious, and she inspired me to pursue certification. At that time, no one in our clinics was certified, so I ordered the ANNA Core Curriculum, studied diligently, and earned my CNN. Preparing for the exam confirmed my commitment to a career in nephrology.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of serving in many KDS roles—technician, staff nurse, education coordinator, administrator & CEO before eventually becoming an RVP for America Renal Associates (now Innovative Renal Care) in Texas. I considered it an honor to support our caregivers so they could provide the best care to patients.
 One of the most meaningful experiences of my career was caring for my own Grandpa Fred, who became a dialysis patient in my clinic. For seven years, his presence reminded me of an important lesson: every patient is someone’s grandparent, sibling, or dear friend—and we are offering them life. His photo still sits in my office at Dallas Nephrology Associates, where I now serve as one of the directors. I often share his story with new physicians as a reminder of the human side of what we do.
Today, I’m in my 45th year in dialysis, and my passion for this work remains strong. I’m grateful for the many experiences and the countless incredible people I’ve met—both in and around the dialysis recliners.
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What’s Your Story? Share it with NNCC!
Do you have a story about your career path and experiences as a nephrology nurse or dialysis technician? Whether it's a personal milestone, a professional breakthrough, or a moment that reminded you why you chose this field or why you took the next step to get certified, we’d love for you to share it.
Your journey could be the next to inspire others and be featured in the NNCC Electronic News!
Submit your story here. Let your voice be heard and your story celebrated!
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Thank you, NNCC Board of Commissioners!
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NNCC extends sincere appreciation to our Board of Commissioners, who met in Philadelphia this month to continue guiding and advancing the mission of NNCC.
Thank you!
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“What does certification mean to you?”
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We asked this question to newly certified nephrology nurses, and this response stood out:
“To me, a certification is a formal recognition of a person's knowledge, skills, or competence in a specific area. It serves as a verifiable and standardized way to demonstrate expertise.”
This perspective beautifully reflects the true value of certification. Beyond being a mark of recognition, certification is a trusted standard of excellence in nephrology nursing. It validates your knowledge, strengthens your professional credibility, and demonstrates your commitment to providing the highest level of care to patients.
Certification is more than a credential—it’s a career milestone and a symbol of dedication to your specialty.
Take the next step in your professional journey. Certification isn’t just a title—it’s a transformative step toward becoming the best version of yourself. Whether you’re just starting or have years of experience, becoming certified demonstrates your expertise and commitment to excellence in nephrology care.
At NNCC, we’re here to support you every step of the way, whether you are a nurse practitioner, RN, or dialysis technician —with resources, guidance, and recognition designed to help you succeed. Your knowledge, your passion, and your care already make a difference. Certification helps you elevate that even further. You’ve got what it takes—and NNCC is here to help you prove it. Learn more at www.nncc-exam.org/certification. Do you have questions about certification? Contact us!
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Recertification Made Simple
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You don’t have to wait to get started! Begin your online recertification by continuing education application anytime and add your continuing education credits as you go. Complete your CE throughout your certification period and submit your application up to 6 months before it expires.
Check out the Recertification Timeline and make sure NNCC has your current contact information—so you never miss a helpful reminder. Staying on track for recertification has never been easier!
Need Help?
Remember, if you are NNCC certified, you already have an account. If you need assistance logging in or have any questions about recertification, we’re here to help.
Contact us and we’ll guide you through the process.
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NNCC Career Mobility Scholarships & Grants
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The Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission® (NNCC®) offers of career mobility scholarships annually. Don't miss your opportunity to apply!
Clinical/Technical Career Mobility Scholarship – Deadline November 30
NNCC awards five (5) $3000.00 scholarships to CCHT, CCHT-A and CD-LPN/LVN certified individuals who are advancing their education in the field of health/sciences.
Advanced Practice Nurse Career Mobility Scholarship – Deadline November 30
NNCC awards a $5000.00 career mobility scholarship to CNN-NP certified individuals who are advancing their education in a doctoral program (DNP or PhD).
Nurse Career Mobility Scholarship funding – Deadline November 15
NNCC has established funding for three (3) $3,000.00 career mobility scholarships to NNCC certificant members of ANNA in pursuit of either a BSN or advanced degree in nursing.
Nephrology Nurse and Technician Career Mobility Scholarship funding – Deadline May 1
NNCC has established funding for three (3) $3,000.00 career mobility scholarships for CCHT and CCHT-A certified, and three (3) $3,000.00 career mobility scholarships to CNN or CDN certified members of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to support furthering education in pursuit of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in nephrology nursing or technician fields.
Barbara Prowant Research Grant – Deadline November 15
The NNCC has established this $5,000.00 nursing research grant to honor and recognize Barbara F. Prowant’s tremendous contributions to nephrology nursing and certification within the specialty. Her work improved the lives of patients everywhere. This research grant is established to promote nursing research, particularly in nephrology.
Research: Funding for pilot studies and partial funding for research projects, thesis, or dissertations.
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Nephrology Nurse Practitioners Take the NNCC September Pop Quiz
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SEPTEMBER QUESTION! Here is another question of the month! “NNCC’s Question of the Month” helps you test your knowledge. This month we pose this question for the nephrology nurse practitioners (CNN-NP): A 65-year-old patient who is on maintenance hemodialysis three times a week has recently been diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). The patient is to be prescribed a selective serotonin receptor inhibitor (SSRI). Which of the following SSRIs would place the patient at highest risk for an adverse cardiac event?
Take the quiz to see the list of options, choose the correct answer, and find the rationale and reference information.
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NNCCs Water for Dialysis Program: What's in your Water?
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NNCC’s Water for Dialysis Program, What’s in your Water? is a learning activity provided by NNCC to help participants obtain knowledge and competency concerning water treatment for dialysis. Upon completion of this program, participants will be able to:
• Identify the components of the dialysis water system including their purposes, monitoring requirements, and patient safety considerations.
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• Explain how water-related clinical problems occur, are identified, and can be prevented.
• Discuss the elements of the CMS water survey that ensure compliance with safety.
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Great News: Upon completion, a certificate will be provided awarding a four-contact hour credit to be used towards NNCC certification or recertification continuing education requirements.
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Free Practice Exam! Approved CCHT-A Test-Takers!
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Experienced Dialysis Technicians, NNCC is now offering a free online practice exam when you are approved to take the CCHT-A certification examination. You now have one more reason to take the next step in the advancement of your career goals!
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FREE Online CNN-NP Practice Exam
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NNCC Board of Commissioners and the Advanced Practice Examination Board have examined some of the roadblocks for nephrology nurse practitioners taking the CNN-NP certification examination.
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A lack of resources and preparation materials seem to be a large factor. NNCC will now offer a free online CNN-NP practice examination to nephrology nurse practitioners who have been approved to take the CNN-NP examination. Upon approval for testing, nephrology nurse practitioners will receive a link to take the online practice exam. This, in addition to the free CNN-NP Certification Preparation Guide, will have you well on your way to preparing for the exam!
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UPCOMING EVENTS: FALL 2025
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NNCC will be exhibiting at the following conference this Fall. We hope to see you there!
Atlanta, GA
October 8 - 10, 2025
Booth #1835
Houston, TX
November 5 - 9, 2025
Booth #1241
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CNN®, CDN®, CNN-NP®, and CCHT® are registered certification marks of the Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission (NNCC®).
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Nephrology Nursing Certification Commission
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