The First Southern California Cardiovascular Professional Conference

On Saturday, January 30, 2010, the Foundation for Cardiovascular Medicine, La Jolla, California sponsored the First Southern California Cardiovascular Professional Conference. The authors (except for Trevor Smith, HM-1 USN, who had to report for duty in Europe) attended this well-organized meeting that was expertly structured by Julie Logan, RCSA, RN. Ms. Logan, who served as the conference course director, also, functions as the chief operating officer of the sponsoring organization. The conference was targeted to cardiovascular professionals who function as members of the support teams that work in cardiac catheterization laboratories in civilian and United States military medical centers. The focus was to provide a dynamic and motivated network for advanced practice nurses, cardiovascular technologists, radiologic technologists, registered nurses, and physician assistants who have an interest in interventional and vascular medicine. Online registrations for the conference had to be closed early due to an overwhelming response. The venue, Hilton Hotel-Misson Bay, was completely full, with almost 200 attendees from all around California. Also in attendance were 19 United States Navy Corpsmen, who were trained and/or are in training in the United States Naval (USN) program in cardiovascular technology (CVT), which is headquartered in San Diego. Nine of the USN Naval Corpsmen are current students in the USN CVT program. The educational objectives of the Cardiovascular Professionals Conference were: 1) To provide discussions on the newer concepts that enhance optimization of patient and lesion-specific interventional approaches to coronary artery disease; 2) To describe the advantages and disadvantages of the applications of newer interventional technologies on patients with cardiovascular disease; 3) To relate the importance of appropriate cardiovascular pharmacologic management in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (STEMIs); 4) To discuss the advances in the treatment and management of patients with structural heart disease; 5) To share results from important trials with evidence-based medicine that provide guidance in the contemporary management of patients with atherosclerotic ischemic heart disease. Faculty consisted of: • Annie Burns, ACNP, RN, MS, CS • Christopher Nelson, RN, RCIS, FSICP • Chuck Williams, BS, RCSA, RPA/RA, RCIS, RT(R)(CV)(CI), CPFT, CCT, FSICP • Daniel Sullivan, BSN, RN • Diane Wilkerson, ACNP, RN, MS • Michael Guiry, RPA-C, MBA, RCSA • Nancy Morris, RN, MSN, MBA • Paul Patchen, MBA, BSN, RN • Regina Deible, BSN, RN, RCSA • Thomas Maloney, MS, RCIS Each of the four sessions of the conference was set up with panel discussion teams, which consisted of the faculty members. The meeting opened with a welcome address from course director Julie Logan. Julie defined the meeting as a “Professionals” conference rather than a typical “Nurse/Tech” symposium. She explained that as our nation faces healthcare reform, we must unite as professionals and strive for excellence. She announced plans for establishing a “John Tworoger Achievement Award.” This award will be given to a cardiovascular professional nominated by his/her peers and demonstrating true professionalism in the field of cardiovascular medicine. The individual is someone who goes above and beyond the normal call of duty to not only support their colleagues, but the field of cardiovascular medicine. John Tworoger was a remarkable person who not only financially donated, but, more importantly, donated his time to advance the field of cardiovascular medicine. John was a true believer in innovation and medical research. Although he had no medical background, said Julie, “He inspired me and many others to be ‘the best’ and to also strive to be a professional, no matter the circumstance. John was a true leader.” The award recipient will receive complimentary registration to the 2011 conference. The achievement award will be presented by Mrs. Brenda Tworoger during the conference, along with a small token of appreciation. The first lecture of the conference was given by Christopher Nelson, current President, Board of Trustees, Cardiovascular Credentialing International (www.cci-online.org). He presented a dynamic keynote lecture on “The Future of the Cardiovascular Professional.” Additional lectures throughout the day included: • Guides, Wires, and Balloons: When, Where, and How • Vascular Closure Devices: Should Every Patient Receive One? - Michael Guiry, RPA-C, MBA, RCSA • Management of the Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Triples D’s — Door to Balloon, Drugs, and Devices - Regina Deible, BSN, RN, RCSA • Therapeutic Hypothermia for Cardiac Arrest - Regina Deible, BSN, RN, RCSA • How to Obtain and Maintain Your STEMI Center Status - Paul Patchen, BSN, RN, MBA, RCSA • Pathophysiology of Anticoagulants, Antiplatelets, and Fibrinolytics - Daniel Sullivan, RN, RCSA • Drug-Eluting Stents — How Do They Compare? - Nancy Morris, RN, MSN, MBA • Drug-Eluting Stents vs Surgery in Multi-Vessel Disease - Thomas H. Maloney, MS, RCIS • Chronic Total Occlusions: When and Why Do We Attempt? • Management and Treatment of Carotid Artery Stenosis - Regina Deible, BSN, RN, RCSA • Lesion Assessment Tools — IVUS, FFR: What Are They Telling Us? - Thomas H. Maloney, MS, RCIS • Transcatheter Aortic Valve Intervention (TAVI), From A-Z - Michael Guiry, RPA-C, MBA, RCSA • Managing Procedural Complications: Arrhythmias to Perforations — The Survival Guide - Julie Logan, RN, RCSA Workshops were conjunctively presented at the John Tworoger Technology Fair, established in memory of Mr. Tworoger. These 30-minute, individual, hands-on tutored sessions offered training on: • Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary interventions on “virtual patients” - Sponsor: Symbionox USA • IVUS-guided use of catheters designed for lower extremity arterial interventional studies - Sponsor: Medtronic • Intravascular ultrasound - Sponsor: Boston Scientific • Left ventricular assistance devices - Impella - Sponsor: Abiomed • Rotational atherectomy - Sponsor: Boston Scientific • Selection of interventional guide wires for interventional procedures - Sponsor: Abbott Vascular • Selection of vascular closure devices - Sponsor: Abbott Vascular The workshops were well attended. Over 60 allied healthcare professionals demonstrated their skills performing coronary angiography and coronary interventions on “virtual patients” with the Symbionox cardiovascular simulator under the tutelage of Jacque Devaud, Chuck Williams, USN HMC Andrew Kremer, USN HM-2 Amanda Hutzel, and USN HM-2 Hector Inguito. Each patient was presented with an anomalous coronary artery with a significant lesion either in the LAD, LCX, or RCA. A secondary purpose was to introduce those testing their abilities to the future of the cardiovascular medical community in regards to initial training of cardiovascular specialists, cardiovascular support teams, and experienced teams in patient care, patient safety, and continuity of care. This process will become the method of technical certification for physicians who specialize in performing procedures of the cardiovascular system and will become the same process for allied healthcare professionals who directly assist physicians as scrub assistants, circulators, monitor assistants and/or perform invasive and interventional procedures under the direct supervision of medical specialists, who are credentialed to perform procedures by their medical facilities in current settings. The credentialing process will be offered through the International Council for Certification of Cardiovascular Specialists and Assistants, Incorporated, in early spring 2012. In addition, the conference was kindly sponsored through educational grants provided from industry. Financial support was received from the following corporations: • 1X Medical • Abbott Vascular • Abiomed • Angioscore • AngioDynamics • Atrium • Boston Scientific • Bristol-Myers Squibb • Cook Medical • Cordis, Johnson & Johnson • Eli Lilly • EV3 • Gilead Sciences • Maquet Cardiovascular • Medtronic • St. Jude Medical • The Medicines Company We also recognize and thank Alvarado Hospital Medical Center, San Diego, for their support of cardiovascular professionals. The authors, the foundation staff, faculty, participants, and especially the course director express their gratitude to our benefactors for providing not only grants, but representatives and instruments which were used in the workshops and display booths. This conference was approved by CaPCE and the ASRT for continuing education credits. And, finally, for our mentors and peers, please plan to return next year and experience another awesome conference in the beautiful city of San Diego, California. We welcome all attendees to return in 2011 to enjoy another dynamic meeting of cardiovascular professionals, along with the networking that creates the enthusiasm and motivation for another highly enjoyable continuing educational event. On behalf of the course director, Julie Logan, conference meeting team, faculty, and the article authors, we thank all cardiovascular professionals who attended and provided the aura that enlightened the day of learning and sharing of education, knowledge and wisdom. Through mechanisms such as this event, we can unite and then return to our “battle stations” to provide the highest standards of care, safety, and continuity of care for our cardiovascular patients, who entrust us with their lives while our nation undergoes healthcare reformation. Ms. Logan has initiated plans to organize a similar conference for 2011. Please correspond with her office at the following address: Foundation for Cardiovascular Medicine 9834 Genesee Avenue Suite 310 La Jolla, California 92037 Tel. (858) 625-4488 In closing, we sincerely apologize to all of the professionals who were unable to attend due the early closing of online registration.

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