Martin, are you out there? What do you think? Maybe after your nap you could wade in here with some commentary.

Would board members from either NANT or ANNA care to speak up regarding previous comments (mine)? Did anyone notice that ALL commentary stopped. I'm going to go out on a limb here . . . NANT's days, as we know it, are limited unless TECHS wake up and get involved AND employers recognize the need for an organization that will work with them to establish and maintain high standards for training and continuing education. Dennis? Care to comment?

I have been a dialysis tech certified no less and I know nothing about NANT, but I do know what ANNA is. Maybe I have been brain dead for 10 years but I do not remember ever being recruited by NANT. I can not say whether or not my employer has recieved much information. Maybe being a new small city clinic (4 years) has something to do with it???? I would like info etc for CHT's, and would be intrested to know where?

rookieMT,

NANTs website is..

http://www.dialysistech.org

To all,

Derogatory and unsupported accusations posted anonymously or by none registered members are not acceptable in the RenalWeb forums.

In line with this rule, the posting by "Former NANT Member" has been deleted.
The original poster is invited to resubmit their comments by either stating who you are or by registering.

The Moderator

Just a note to those following this thread: no response from NANT or Mr. Todaro. Where is NANT now? Where is NANT going?

As the moderator I have an obligation to insure that this forum remains what it is intended to be - a forum for the free exchange of ideas, a place to post questions and answers to those questions, pertinent to dialysis technicians and technology.

The Webmaster has clearly stated that this and the other forums are to remain free and clear of specious, inflammatory, disparaging and or insulting comments made under the veil of anonymity.

The topic of NANT, its role in the industry and its future are legitimate topics for discussion. However comments denegrating its Board, individual Board Members (current or past), its Management Company or its Members in the absence of specific fact, made anonymously are not acceptable and will be deleted.

This doesn't mean you can't complain or express your displeasure. What it does mean is if you choose to do so, make your point back it up with fact and have the decency and maturity to post under your own name or as a registered member.

To Marc H - Your historical recounting of the AANNT is not absolutely correct. At the time the membership of AANNT voted to split the membership, the majority of members were in fact Nurses. In order to derive the benefits as you describe and as important in order for the organization to be recoginized as a Nursing association and to affiliate with other Nursing organizations it had to be an associaton of Nurses. Non nurses could only be associate members, could not hold Board positions or have voting rights.

The qualifications that lead to AANNT becoming ANNA are the same qualifications that prohibit Technicians from becoming fully recognized members of ANNA today.

I understand your frustration in trying to establish a chapter. Once in Maryland we had a chapter meeting, one of the Techs had nothing but negative things to say about being a Tech, his unit, his company and the attempt to form a chapter. He went on to say that he was only working as a Tech until he finished school and got his CPA. I asked him them why are you at this meeting - his response was well I heard there was going to be free food.

This is indicative of the attitude you're up against. The average technician exists in a vacuum. They have little knowledge of the industry, don't necessarily connect their job to a career and given the nature of their introduction into the field and their training see very little growth opportunity. What incentive do they have to give up time and money to belong to an association that they perceive as having no impact on their day to day life.

That is the condundrum - solve this problem of perception and you'll have people interested in participating.

What they fail to grasp is the fundemental concept of the power in numbers. IF NANT's membership was on the same level as ANNA's, (I believe about 80%) it would be an association of about 20,000 members and thus would equal or exceed the membership of the ANNA, the RPA and NRAA combined. That's allot of financial and political power.

With that level of support NANT would be the predominate force in the dialysis industry. We would be in a position to lead the way on issues of mandatory training standards, acceptable practice elements, and certification.

In the absence of that support it is amazing that NANT is still around, nearly 20 years after the fact. The fact that it is, is a credit to the relatively few individuals (like yourself Mark), who over the years and in the face of adversity continue to give up their personal time to promote, if not the organization, the concept of technician representation.

Where lies NANT's future not with the ANNA, not with the corporations and not with the vendors, but with us, the technicians. Until we as a collective get our act together we can expect nothing more than cursory support and recognintion from the entities around us

[This message has been edited by Dennis Todaro (edited 05-02-2002).]

[This message has been edited by Dennis Todaro (edited 05-02-2002).]

Administrator's Note: This message was deleted because it contained slanderous and defamatory statements by an anonymous author.

Anonymous criticism of a person, company, product, or organization is not permitted on RenalWEB.

If you feel you must criticize, you must be willing to state your full name and provide a valid e-mail address in the posting. You have to be willing to stand by your words.

Gary Peterson, Administrator


[This message has been edited by Gary Peterson (edited 05-07-2002).]