News from the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP)

March California Central Valley Chapter meeting

By Sharon J. Johnson

The February 2012 California Central Valley SICP Chapter meeting took place at Café 225 in Visalia, California, and was sponsored by Edwards Lifesciences and Criticor. Cardiovascular surgeon Dr. Leheb Araim discussed “Heart Health and Valve Disease.”

Thirty people were in attendance. Norman Solis, RN, announced that he had passed the registered cardiovascular invasive specialist (RCIS) exam, and Terry Schneider, CRT, RCIS, passed his registered cardiac electrophysiology specialist (RCES) exam. Recently, we have had a second person in the Kaweah Delta Medical Center cath lab pass the registered cardiac electrophysiology specialist (RCES) exam, Daphne Bremner.

The SICP Carolinas Chapter Hosts Meet and Greet

Ike Miller of the Carolinas Chapter invited other Carolinas Chapter members, along with any participants from the RCIS/RCES Review Course held over the March 24-25 weekend at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC, to attend a social meet-and-greet on Saturday, March 24th.

Special thanks are given to Jeff Miller with Boston Scientific for generously sponsoring the meet-and-greet, and thank you to the 24 participants who attended this event, held at Hickory Tavern in Charlotte:

Nikki Arnold
Debbie Bauer
Jennifer Bolding
Milton Brown
Mindy Clark
Bryan Culbreth
Carl Esperance
Jennifer Fox
Beate Graeter
Jeremy Herring
Byron Lowe
Diana Mertens
Regina Miller
Sharon Morgan
Vanesa Mountz
Stephen Mullins
Megan Myers
Christy Nichols
Renata Peters
Jeffrey Renfro
Mary Robbins
Joshua Rodriguez
Elisabeth Timmerman

New SICP Orientation Standards

SICP has updated and published Orientation Standards, completed in 2010. They are published online at https://sicp.comhttps://s3.amazonaws.com/HMP/hmp_ln/imported/SICP_Orientation_Standards.pdf 
Plan to review the Orientation Standards today!

Alphonso Beard, CCT, RCIS, Invested as SICP Fellow

Alphonso Beard, Jr., was recently invested as a Fellow in the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals. The Society of Cardiovascular Invasive Professionals (SICP) requires that individuals who receive Fellowship status in the society meet definitive criteria:

• Passing of the Invasive Registry (RCIS) or Electrophysiology Registry (RCES) examination administered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI).
• Active status with CCI and SICP.
• Five-year clinical practice in the field of cardiology based in the cardiac catheterization laboratory or clinical workload of at least 1,800 cases.
• Current staff position at an accredited health care facility based in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.
• The applicant must have made significant contributions to the SICP, or to the field of invasive/diagnostic cardiology. This requirement may be fulfilled by publication in national journals, authoring or coauthoring a book/chapter, serving on committees or special projects for the society, or serving as an officer or committee chairman in a recognized national organization that has an overlapping interest in cardiology. This requirement may also be met if the applicant has been responsible for the organization of, or presentation in, educational programs on the national or regional level with a course curriculum relevant to cardiology.

Born in Lynchburg, South Carolina, Beard enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1970.  While in the Air Force, he was trained as a cardiopulmonary laboratory specialist at the School of Health Care Science, Sheppard AFB, in Wichita Falls, Texas. He served in numerous assignments, various leadership positions, and locations within US Air Force Medical Centers in the United States, Europe, and the Republic of The Philippines. He managed functions of the adult and neonatal respiratory therapy departments, pulmonary services, and cardiovascular invasive and noninvasive diagnostic procedure laboratories. 

Beard obtained an associate of arts degree from Los Angeles Metropolitan College, Far East Division, in 1981, and a certificate from the Senior Leadership and Management Course of the US Air Force Air University in 1991. In 1978, Beard obtained national certification as a cardiopulmonary technologist (NSCPT); in 1984, as a registered cardiology technologist (ACTA); in 1986, as a certified pulmonary function technologist (NBRC); in 2003, as a certified invasive cardiovascular technologist (CCI/NBCVT); in 2012, as a certified cardiographic technician (CCT); in 2012, as a registered cardiovascular invasive specialist (RCIS); and also in 2012, he was awarded Fellowship in the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals.

Beard retired from the Air Force after 23 years as a career senior non-commissioned officer in 1993. He has over 18 years of experience working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. 
His awards include:

• Recipient of “American’s Best and Brightest Young Business and Professional Men Award for 1990” by Dollar and Sense National Publications, Chicago, IL.
• Recipient of John Salustro Memorial Award for Cardiopulmonary Excellence, October 1991, by Cardiovascular International/National Board for Cardiovascular Testing.
• Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
• Three Air Force Commendation Medals

He is a member of the American Association for Respiratory Care, Cardiovascular Credentialing International/National Board for Cardiovascular Testing, Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals, American College of Cardiology Partner in Care (PIC), and SICP.

He is currently assigned as a staff member in the cardiac catheterization laboratory of the Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System, Mary Immaculate Hospital, in Newport News, Virginia.