SASEAP Conference: Celebrating 25th Annual Workshop in 2018

Once upon a time, a small group of EP nurses got together to lament the impossibility of finding education for EP lab staff. Where would they get the education they needed to increase their knowledge of and gain competence in this new specialty? The answer from their physician mentors? Organize your own workshop. 

The South Atlantic Society of Electrophysiology for Allied Professionals (SASEAP) was, and still is, that answer. Starting in 1994 as a small meeting in Wilmington, North Carolina, the organization has grown steadily and is planning its 25th annual workshop in September 2018. The annual SASEAP workshop now draws at least 250 RNs, technicians, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners, and is supported by more than 15 exhibitors. 

SASEAP is run by a small group of seasoned professionals assisted by a volunteer board of allied health professionals (AHPs) in electrophysiology. Helen Roth, RN, has been with SASEAP from the beginning, first as a speaker and later as SASEAP’s Director of Education; a retired cardiovascular educator, she leads the board to develop the yearly program and then ensures accreditation. Experience, knowledge, and dedication to EP education keeps SASEAP focused on its goals. We welcome and recruit speakers and attendees from hospitals and facilities across the nation. 

SASEAP’s goals are twofold: first, to present a relevant, meaningful, and cost-effective learning opportunity for EP AHPs; and second, to provide an opportunity for these AHPs to network and learn from each other. Thanks to frugal management and support from EP equipment suppliers, SASEAP has not increased its registration fees for 15 years. 

One of those exhibitors, Ed Hanna, has led his company’s exhibit at SASEAP for many years. “SASEAP has provided AHPs with opportunities to gain critical basic, intermediate, and advanced EP knowledge through lectures delivered not only by peers who have experienced EP as nurses and technicians, but also by physicians delivering topics focused at essential skills that are most significant to AHP/physician dynamics,” he explains. “This allows attendees to enhance the critical skills demanded to perform their roles. Also, hands-on heart and ablation labs have allowed AHPs and industry representatives to engage in deeper discussions, helping to answer questions of ‘how’ and ‘why’ we do the many activities in our roles, in addition to simply knowing ‘what’ to do in clinical settings. EP is such an incredibly dynamic field, with no two patient needs being identical. EP demands its professionals to think ‘big picture’. SASEAP’s content and structure has fostered critical thought for many of its participants over the years, contributing to better equipped and more confident EP staff in countless EP labs across the U.S.” 

SASEAP has been held for years in Myrtle Beach, so that EP professionals can attend with their families, learn from qualified instructors, network among themselves, and talk with industry sponsors in a relaxed, unhurried atmosphere away from their workplaces. The SASEAP workshop runs from Friday through Sunday. Friday sessions are divided into multiple tracks: basic EP for the novice, advanced EP for seasoned professionals, and clinical EP for office or clinic staff. Intensive sessions on Saturday and Sunday end after lunch to allow time for networking or just relaxing at the beach. 

SASEAP was originally focused on professionals working in EP and cath labs. However, Debbie Jones, Cardiac Device Nurse at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville, North Carolina, saw a need to expand that focus. “My dream was to expand the meeting to include device clinic topics,” she says, “and we’ve made great progress. I now lead a separate, well-attended track for clinic staff.” Debbie works during the year to find speakers for her clinic track, and looks forward to September. “I have been involved with all SASEAP meetings (except for one) either as an attendee or member of the board. SASEAP is important to me because it helps me continue to learn and grow in EP, helping me to bring the best care to patients in my clinic,” she says. 

Mark Sweesy, President of Arrhythmia Technologies Institute and one of the stalwarts for the clinic track, is one of the many speakers over the years who have repeatedly donated their time and experience to SASEAP audiences. “I recently spoke at my 11th consecutive SASEAP conference,” he says. “I have attended NASPE/HRS for over 30 years, but it was a while before I discovered this gem in my own back yard. SASEAP reminds me of the earliest days of HRS, with a more intimate setting and the opportunity to meet other professionals, trade experiences, and build relationships.” 

“As someone who has attended many different EP conferences over the past 12 years, I have to say that SASEAP is by far my favorite,” says Kelly Williams, EP Lab Manager at Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee. “I love that the conference spans the entire EP spectrum — offering something for everyone, whether you are new to the EP lab or perhaps a more seasoned practitioner. The teaching methods are so diverse and include lectures, roundtable discussions, audience participation quizzes, certification reviews, and hands-on learning. It is so refreshing to see that other labs have the same struggles as our lab; likewise, it is rewarding to share solutions that our lab has discovered.” 

Support for SASEAP over the past 25 years has been phenomenal. SASEAP has been honored by many distinguished contributors. Even though SASEAP does not compensate its speakers, a number of accomplished electrophysiologists and EP staff members donate their time and effort each year to advance continuing education for EP allied professionals. 

“I have been involved with SASEAP for the last 19 years,” comments Joseph Souza, MD, an electrophysiologist with Asheville Cardiology Associates in North Carolina. “The SASEAP meeting is uniquely focused on the educational needs of EP nurses, techs, and support staff. Electrophysiologists in the Southeast regularly donate their time to create and deliver timely presentations on relevant EP topics. A variety of subjects are presented each year, including updates on EP lab procedures as well as topics that are of interest to office follow-up and management. All participants, whether lab-based or office-based, receive up-to-date information. I have been involved in national EP meetings and industry-sponsored events, and have found that there is nothing like SASEAP for staff education. As an electrophysiologist, I am able to offer my patients more complex and comprehensive procedures in part because my staff are extremely knowledgeable and are in a position to provide support for these cases.” 

Another frequent speaker at SASEAP, Michael Hoskins, MD, an electrophysiologist and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Emory University in Georgia, says “SASEAP is a unique institution that brings together and educates a number of people, exposing them to a breadth of knowledge, experience, and cutting-edge technology, resulting in a positive impact to patients in the EP setting. We have seen tremendous technological advancements in the fields of pacing, defibrillation, and catheter ablation. However, challenges remain, and I welcome the ability to work with a group like SASEAP to help practicing professionals — especially those new to the field — gain the competence and confidence they need to help bring the benefits of EP to their patients.” 

“I have enjoyed attending SASEAP for more than 12 years,” says Nancy Winn, EP Lab Manager at UF Health Jacksonville in Florida. “My first year, I was so intrigued with the vast topics, speakers, and the vendors, that I asked if I could be a part of the SASEAP team. I have been on the board ever since.” Nancy has also spoken at SASEAP. “The first time I spoke at the conference, I was so nervous that I lost my voice. However, I became more relaxed over the years, because the audience is my ally. SASEAP complements your basic knowledge of EP and expands on it. Attendees learn more because of the different knowledge levels of the speakers. They are also updated on new technology, research, and what labs are doing differently.” 

Josh Barone, P Lab Manager at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System in South Carolina as well as a SASEAP board member, described how “Through the years, I’ve always looked forward to attending SASEAP and the opportunity it provides to hear from speakers from different labs around the country share their knowledge and experience in electrophysiology. I believe that SASEAP has been and will continue to be a key resource for AHPs who seek to develop their professional understanding of EP. It’s a place where there is the opportunity to meet other AHPs who share the same experiences and challenges that you do.” He offers this advice: “If you are looking to benchmark with other labs, maintain your licensure, or hear what is up and coming in the EP profession and industry, I challenge you to be a part of SASEAP 2018.”

You can learn more about the organization and this year’s conference by going to www.SASEAP.org. In addition, mark your calendars for SASEAP 2018: September 14-16, 2018. If you are interested in attending, speaking, or exhibiting, call (866) 372-6222 or email Bob Roth (bobroth@saseap.org).