About CNSW

The Journal of Nephrology Social Work (JNSW) is published by the Council of Nephrology Social Workers (CNSW) of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF).

Mission Statement

CNSW functions as a professional membership council within the framework of the NKF and networks with other organizations, including the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), state and local governments, and private groups. CNSW's purposes are to:

  1. Assist patients and their families in dealing with psychosocial stresses and lifestyle readjustments, and to facilitate a treatment program that will maximize rehabilitation potential.
  2. Support the federal regulations governing ESRD reimbursement in regard to standards for social work practice and in the definition of a qualified social worker.

Strategic Goals

  1. Develop and promote patient and public education
  2. Support and promote the profession and education of renal social work
  3. Impact regulatory and legislative issues
  4. Ensure the use of the qualified social work in the ESRD setting
  5. Provide ongoing support and education to the renal patient

Professional membership at NKF ($120.00 annually for social workers) includes e-subscriptions to The Journal of Nephrology Social Work, as well as NKF's full family of journals including AJKD, AKDH, JRN, and Kidney Medicine. Members receive RenaLink, NKF's interprofessional educational newsletter three times per year, and are invited to apply for educational stipends, research grants, and receive a discount to NKF's premiere annual education event designed for the entire interprofessional nephrology team, the Spring Clinical Meetings.

For more information on NKF membership, please visit our website at www.kidney.org/professionals/membership