News from the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP)

SICP News & Announcements

Want a HeatheCareer?

Did you know the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals (SICP) has an online career center, SICP Career Center? 

The SICP Career Center is part of the HEALTHeCAREERS Network, an integrated network of hundreds of healthcare career websites, bringing reach into all clinical and professional healthcare audiences. This partnership enables SICP to provide extended value to members and healthcare employers by connecting them to qualified applicants and opportunities in invasive cardiovascular profession.

HealtheCareers is a generous partner to SICP, contributing a small amount to SICP for each member that registers, again for each member that uploads a resume, and again for each member that applies for a job. It’s an easy way for you to help SICP as well as help yourself! Register today! 

For more information or to contact HEALTHeCAREERS Network, call toll-free (888) 884-8242 or e-mail: info@healthecareers.com.

SICP’s Signature RCIS Review Course 2012 and Newly Launched Signature RCES Review Course!

The SICP Signature RCIS Review Course is designed to review information for the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) RCIS invasive registry exam. This course will help you identify areas in which you need to concentrate your self-study, or will serve as an overview for those who are preparing to take the exam.

Topics will include, but are not limited to:  cardiovascular diseases, hemodynamics, calculations, 12-lead EKG, patient care & assessment, cardiovascular A&P, pharmacology and radiation safety.

The SICP Signature RCES Review Course is designed to offer a review to the allied health professional of information for the Cardiac Credentialing International (CCI) RCES registry exam. The objective of the course is to offer a comprehensive review of content assessed on the RCES registry.

Topics will include, but are not limited to:  cardiovascular diseases, hemodynamics, calculations, 12-lead EKG, egrams, diagnostic electrophysiology, ablation physics I&II and pacemaker/ICD implant & evaluation.

Upcoming RCIS/RCES Review Courses:

March 24-25, 2012
RCIS/RCES Review Course
Central Piedmont Community
College, Charlotte, NC
We are happy to be working again with Chris Jolly at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte, NC.  Registration is available online at www.sicp.com, or email meetings@sicp.com for more information. 

Presenters will include:

Michael Buie, BS, RCES, RCIS, CCDS, CEPS, Sr. EP Specialist Consultant & Programmatic
Coordinator at Sentara Heart
Hospital, Norfolk, Virginia

Mike has a BS in Health Science from Almeda University but has always had a passion in his 20-year career for EP/cardiology.  He has been a tech, supervisor, manager, and now program coordinator for EP development at Sentara Health Systems, as well as an instructor for EP at SCOHS. He has also spent 11 years in industry as a clinical trainer and sales representative for devices as well as 3-D mapping. Mike’s vision has always been to build awareness and education in the EP community in order to train EP team members effectively to provide the most efficient and safe environment possible for the patient.

Megan Hunsinger, MS, RCIS, RCES, Program Coordinator,
Cardiac Electrophysiology at
Sentara College of Health Sciences, Chesapeake, Virginia

Megan is a full-time faculty member for the cardiac electrophysiology program. A 1999 graduate of Bloomsburg University, with a BS in exercise science, she went on to earn her master’s degree in exercise physiology from East Stroudsburg University in 2000. From there, she worked in local hospitals, performing exercise stress testing. In 2005, she graduated from Sentara School of Health Professions Invasive Cardiovascular Technology program and has been credentialed as an RCIS since 2005. After working in the cardiac catheterization lab for two years, Megan accepted a position as an instructor at Sentara College of Health Sciences (then called Sentara School of Health Professions) invasive cardiovascular technology program. In January 2011, Megan was promoted to program coordinator of cardiac electrophysiology at Sentara College of Health Sciences. In June 2011, she was co-director of the very first RCES Review Course in the country.  Megan is a member of the SICP and Heart Rhythm Society, and is currently working on her doctorate in education leadership and management through Capella University.

Patrick McGuire, RCIS, RN, BTE, FSICP, Program Director, Cardiovascular Technology at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, St. Cloud, Minnesota

Patrick has been the program director of cardiovascular technology at St. Cloud Technical and Community College in St. Cloud, Minn., for over a decade, teaching and developing the curriculum, examinations, and protocols for the college’s cardiovascular program. Prior to that, he was a cardiovascular technologist, echocardiography instructor, and echocardiography technologist at St. Cloud Hospital, having spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserves. He is also a Retired Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman. 

Patrick earned a degree in practical nursing from St. Cloud Technical College; studied cardiopulmonary technology at the Naval School of Health Services; received his bachelor of technology education (BTE) degree in 1986 from National University in San Diego; earned two associate degrees; and received his RN in 2003 from Excelsior College, Albany, NY.

Schedule an RCIS or RCES Review Course at your facility!

SICP will send speakers to your facility to teach the course of your choice. You have the option of keeping this course closed for just your staff or opening it up to surrounding facilities. We offer one-, two-, or even three-day courses, and work with you to create an agenda to fit the needs of your facility. We have several sample agendas to start from, but always tailor them to fit your needs.

SICP works to keep your cost minimized by utilizing your facilities’ meeting space, audio-visual equipment, and other services you may be able to provide. 

We generally like to have at least 90 days to plan and implement a course. We like to quote each course separately, because we want to reduce your cost when possible, depending on what you can provide and from where our instructors are traveling. Please contact Nicole Shore at director@sicp.com or (919) 861-4546 to inquire about holding a course at your facility!

Learn more about the Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals at www.sicp.com.

SICP Executive Director’s Update

Nicole Shore, SICP Executive Director

2011 has passed in a blur and 2012 is here! SICP was proud to connect and participate with several other organizations during the past year to whom we would like to express our sincere appreciation. In May, we conducted SICP’s Signature RCIS Review Course in Baltimore, Maryland, in conjunction with the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) Scientific Sessions.

We were successful in partnering with New Cardiovascular Horizons in June 2011 in New Orleans, Louisiana, and are looking forward to partnering with NCVH again in 2012.

SICP also contributed to the nurse/tech track at TCT this past November in San Francisco, California. Special thanks to all those that contributed to these efforts! 

Looking Forward to 2012

New Cardiovascular Horizons
New Orleans, Louisiana
June 6-9, 2012

In June 2012, SICP will continue its successful partnership with New Cardiovascular Horizons (NCVH) when the SICP session will highlight a Cath Lab Professionals’ day. The session will cover the basics of invasive cardiovascular laboratory educational needs, and focus on the latest advances in inva¬sive cardiology and in transradial approach procedures.  The NCVH Course will also include SICP’s Signature RCIS Review Course and the newly launched Signature RCES Review Course and Wet Lab.  The popular Wet Lab provides a hands-on learning experience in gross cardiac anatomy. Using this experience, the participant will associate anatomical structure with cardiac physiologic and hemodynamic findings. The participant will also correlate cardiac structural pathophysiology and the associated challenges present in interventional cardiology.

SICP members get a discounted rate of $299 for the entire four-day conference, including all SICP activities mentioned above plus all NCVH activities.  Details are available at https://www.ncvh.org/sicp.

In addition, NCVH invites all cath lab technologists and nurses to join NCVH for its second Annual Fellows Course in Peripheral Intervention on June 5, 2012.  Registration for this course is complimentary at www.ncvh.org/fellows. This pre-conference program will provide attendees with a didactic overview of complex peripheral interventions, hands-on simulator training, and one-on-one time with expert faculty members for detailed Q&A sessions. 

Dedicated breakout sessions for advanced cath lab professionals will be offered by SICP leaders.  In addition, we will broadcast 26+ complex peripheral LIVE cases from leading centers around the world. All attendees will have access to the general session featuring more than 200 faculty members and 50 rapid-fire lectures per day.  For a review of our 2011 conference, visit www.ncvh.org/videos.

CALL FOR CASES! NCVH needs new cases for its online learning website, www.cathcases.com.  If you’re interested in submitting a complex cath lab case, please contact us at info@slcrf.org.

Education & Educators Committee

Responding to the request of educators across the country fueled by Patrick Hoier’s energy, the Educators Committee has begun its second year. Lois Schaffer and Stephanie Rank will lead the committee in 2012. This committee enables educators to communicate with one another to discuss items of interest. The committee is open to all SICP member educators interested in participating. Please contact SICP at membership@sicp.com to be added to the list!

Advocacy

Advocacy at the state and federal levels continues to be an important issue for SICP, and, although it sometimes seems to be slow moving in some areas, volunteers around the country continue to stay informed on the situations in their own states. Please be diligent and vigilant in your own area to monitor and communicate with SICP any information about new or changing legislation, or regulations related to the field.

CARE Bill News. The Alliance for Quality Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (AQMIRT), a coalition of 23 organizations and joint committees supporting passage of the CARE Bill, met on November 30, 2011, in Chicago to discuss and support the latest version of the bill being presented to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee in January 2012.

Jim Lincoln, the SICP Advocacy Chair, has done an exceptional job of unifying the effort from state to state; however, legislative and regulatory issues can arise quickly after a substantial period of dormancy. We understand this process can be slow and frustrating, but the more advocates and supporters we have involved, the more likely the outcome will be positive. We welcome as little or as much as you can offer in the way of volunteer time.  If you are interested in participating in the advocacy efforts, please contact us today at membership@sicp.com. 

SICP Chapters

Chapters continue to succeed in some areas and struggle in others. As with advocacy, chapter development and maintenance continues to be both rewarding and challenging to all those involved. The more cardiovascular professionals involved, the more work will be spread out amongst the group, and the greater the opportunities for networking and achieving your own professional goals! If you have a chapter in your area, please get involved. If you wish to offer assistance but are unsure where to turn, please contact us at SICP. We will be happy to direct you. Email: membership@sicp.com

SICP Celebrates American Heart Month and Cardiovascular Professionals Week: February 2012

In February, SICP celebrates the importance of all the cardiovascular professionals across the country, but we especially want to say, “thank you” to the invasive cardiovascular professional! These professionals provide many valuable skills that make many medical procedures possible. We like to take this opportunity each year to recognize and appreciate the contributions of the many invasive cardiovascular professionals in cath labs everywhere. 

To help celebrate American Hearth Month and Cardiovascular Professionals (CVP) Week (February 12-18, 2012), SICP provides a Heart Month/CVP Week kit for invasive cardiovascular labs to purchase. The kit includes an SICP poster promoting American Heart Month and Cardiovascular Professionals Week with the 2012 dates, SICP balloons, SICP ink pens, and SICP reusable tote bags (optional). 

The SICP Hearth Month/CVP Week recognition kit is great way to recognize your invasive cardiovascular professionals and promote this special week. Purchase your kit today by emailing membership@sicp.com or online at www.sicp.com. Kits are $30, which includes shipping. The kit will include one poster, four balloons, 20 ink pens, and one tote bag. You may add additional SICP tote bags for $2 each and additional ink pens for $0.75 each.

Contact SICP Director
Nicole Shore
at director@sicp.com.