ITNS
International Transplant Nurses Society Newsletter
In this issue
1
ANA recognizes
Transplant Nurses
Spring
‘09
Volume 18,
Issue 2
2
President’s Address
4
Tour Montreal
11
Portrait of an ITNS Chapter
ITNS Transplant IQ Series Brings
the Expert Information to You
In order to meet ever- increasing requests for more
than two Clinical Transplant Certification Review
Courses (CTCRC) each year, ITNS has developed a
DVD component piece to the Core Curriculum for
Transplant Nurses and its live Clinical Transplant
Certification Review Course.
The ITNS Transplant IQ Series will be available
for purchase from ITNS (www.itns.org) beginning
June 1. In light of the economic difficulties being
experienced by nurses everywhere, the ITNS Transplant IQ Series was developed to allow the CTCRC to
become more accessible to the highest number of
nurses in the least costly manner. While individuals
can purchase the DVDs as a set or by specific topic,
hospitals and transplant centers will find the ITNS
Transplant IQ Series to be a tremendous resource for
training large numbers of nurses at a low rate
per person.
All 16 topic areas covered in the CTCRC are in
the ITNS Transplant IQ Series. These DVDs provide an
extensive overview for any level nurse, but will also
be an excellent resource for studying for your CCTC
or CCTN examination. Each DVD ranges from 30-120
minutes and features a speaker who is an expert in
that field. The DVDs allow for audience/leader interaction and are studio-produced for the exclusive purpose
of delivering information to participants in any setting.
Pertinent to more than just the transplant nurse and
coordinator, the Transplant IQ Series was developed
for all transplant professionals including case managers, social workers, medical, nursing and pharmaceutical students and pharmaceutical representatives. It
may be purchased by an individual, for a Nursing Unit,
a Medical Library and any hospital seeking the training necessary to assist in certifying nurses and coordinators and obtaining Magnet Status.
While the DVDs carry the FBI copyright and cannot be duplicated, multiple nurses can benefit from
watching and reviewing these DVDs in a group setting
as many times as necessary. Hospitals or transplant
centers may complement the DVD subject matter by
providing their own transplant educators to moderate organized viewing of the topics, thus allowing for
questions and interaction.
Cost is $350 for ITNS members and $500 for
non-members. There is a $10 per disc credit fee for
CEs and CEPTCs for any individual who watches the
DVD, completes the IQ post-test for that subject, and
mails their test and check for $10 to ITNS. The Transplant IQ Series is made possible through a grant from
Astellas Pharma US. Look for more details coming
soon to pre-order your set. •
The American Nurses Association Designates
Transplant Nursing as a Recognized Specialty!
By Cindy Russell, PhD l Research Director, ITNS, University of Missouri
The International Transplant Nurses Society
(ITNS) is proud to announce that the American
Nurses Association Congress on Nursing Practice
and Economics has formally recognized Transplant
Nursing as a specialty nursing practice. An ITNS
task force, through an intensive two-year process,
developed Transplant Nursing: Scope and Standards
of Practice which is based upon three foundational
nursing documents, Nursing’s Social Policy Statement, Second Edition (ANA, 2003), the Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements (ANA,
2004), and Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice
(ANA, 2004). The Transplant Nursing: Scope and
Standards of Practice will be instrumental in providing guidance in identifying the components of quality
transplant nursing practice.
In a letter dated January 15, 2009, Linda J. Stierle, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, Chief Executive Officer of the
American Nurses Association wrote “The American
Nurses convenes, through its Congress on Nursing
Practice and Economics (CNPE), representatives
of twenty (20) various specialty nursing groups to
address the need for consistency in standards of
practice and to identify a formal mechanism to confirm professional recognition of specialty practice
based on designated criteria and a multi-level review
process. We are pleased to inform you that the
American Nurses Association’s Congress on Nursing
Practice and Economics (CNPE) formally recognizes
the specialty nursing practice of Transplant Nursing.
Thank you for supporting the important, thoughtful, and extensive work effort that culminated in the
development of the Transplant Nursing: Scope and
Standards of Practice and the submission for nursing
specialty recognition. These are important milestones
for both the specialty and the nursing profession.
The Transplant Nursing: Scope and Standards of
Practice is available for $18.95, ITNS members pay
$16.11. Order your copy today. Please contact ITNS
at 412-343-4867 or itns.org for more information. •
ITNS
2
President’s message
Setting and Reaching our
Transplant Nursing Goals
By Clare Whittaker RN, BSC (Hons) l The Royal London Hospital, London, UK
We are almost to the middle of 2009 already and
the work of ITNS continues. The work and dedication
of the ITNS headquarters, Board of Directors, Committees, SIGs and members is relentless and we are
all busier than ever with new projects to meet the
vision and goals of our organization. The year started
with excitement and this will continue through to our
Symposium and beyond as projects and opportunities arise.
Announcements
First we must congratulate Dr. Cindy Russell and
task force members who worked for two years to
develop Transplant Nursing: Scope and Standards
of Practice. This is a major achievement for all the
individuals involved and for all our members as transplant nursing is now recognized as a specialty by the
American Nurses Association.
Another exciting announcement—ITNS has been
asked to enter into a collaboration with the The
Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Switzerland, and Department of Liver Transplantation,
Hepatology, & Infectious Disease at the University
of Pisa Medical School, Pisa, Italy to host a two-day
nursing program to examine the role and scope of
transplant nurses; the role of advanced practice
nursing in transplantation; the need for a European
/ intercontinental common platform for transplant
nursing and educational initiatives to further improve
and advance the current patterns of practice. ITNS
will have a booth at this meeting in Florence, Italy in
June and members can attend without charge.
The Board of Directors continues to be out and
about during 2009. We were at the UNOS Management Forum in Seattle in April, and held our April
board meeting in Portland during the CCTN/ CCTC
review course. We in Boston exhibiting at the ATC
in May/June and will again be hosting the popular
Transplant Nursing Lecture Series there with contributors from England, Italy and USA. Come along
and chat with us at the booth and attend the lecture
series.
The Call for Abstracts for our Annual Symposium
to be held this year in Montreal, Canada, closed in
February and the number of abstracts submitted
and accepted is as high as ever. Workshops are in
development and the rest of the Symposium is tak-
ing shape to be one of the best.
Consider registering early to take
advantage of the reduced registration fees. Looking even further
forward, the Annual Symposium in
2010 will be in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. A site visit took place
for the Swedish conference in
2011 and the local planning committee is already formed and working to ensure its success.
Transplant Nurses Day was
celebrated around the globe this
year by so many people that our
branded supplies were depleated.
A huge success again with the
opportunity to share our joy of the speciality we have
chosen with our colleagues, patients and supporters. Remember to send us your photographs so that
they may be included in the newsletter, on the web
and during other ITNS events.
Updates to Patient Materials
There are a number of new patient educational initiatives completed. The patient education brochures
have been translated into German by our members
in Germany. We thank them for working diligently to
“This is a major
achievement for
all the individuals
involved and for all
our members as
transplant nursing is
now recognized as
a specialty by the
American Nurses
Association.”
ensure that the translation is accurate and sensitive
to the differences in culture. This initiative was led
by Christiane Kugler, our International Director. All
of our patient education brochures have also been
developed into audio CDs for patients who prefer to
listen to learn rather than to utilize printed material.
This was made possible by a grant from an anonymous benefactor.
We have also developed the new Transplant IQ
DVD Series to support our members in their ongoing education, development and personal growth.
The core group of DVDs reflect the information from
our clinical Transplant Certification Review Courses.
To access any of the ITNS materials remember to
visit our updated website at www.itns.org. If you
would like to be more involved in the work of ITNS
do not hesitate to contact myself or any member of
the Board of Directors, our Executive Director or the
head office. •
International
Update
By Fiona Burrell, RN, International Director
ITNS l Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney
Australia
Two Renal Transplant Study Days will
be held at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in
June and October 2009. These will be run
in conjunction with ITNS and the Transplant
Nurses Association. They will provide an
excellent overview of renal transplant nursing with such topics as pharmacology, tissue typing, work-up procedures, organ allocation, ABO incompatible and paired kidney
exchange, kidney and pancreas transplant,
long term follow up and transplant tourism.
These days will be advertised locally soon
but any queries can be referred to burrellf@
email.cs.nsw.gov.au.
The Transplant Nurses Association’s
annual conference will be held on October
23-24, 2009 at the Perth Zoological Gardens. The Western Australian Branch of the
TNA cordially invites you to discuss all that
is exotic, strange and wonderful in transplantation.
ITNS Members present
at Italian Conference
ITNS has entered into a collaboration
with The Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Switzerland, and Department of Liver Transplantation, Hepatology,
& Infectious Disease at the University of
Pisa Medical School, Pisa, Italy. A conference entitled “Transplant Nursing: Current
practice, Future challenges” takes place
June 18-19, 2009 in Florence, Italy. The
program will examine the role and scope
of transplant nurses; the role of advanced
practice nursing in transplantation; the
need for a European / intercontinental
common platform for transplant nursing
and educational initiatives to be taken to
further improve and advance the current
patterns of practice. Dr. Cindy Russell, ITNS
Research Director, was invited to be on the
scientific board and Dr. Christiane Kugler,
ITNS International Director, will be sharing
her expertise as an invited lecturer. Free
registration is available to all ITNS
members.
3
ITNS
Pediatric Patient Wins Transplant
Nurses Day Essay Contest
We are delighted to announce the winner of
the 2009 Transplant Nurse Day Essay Contest.
The following essay honors Gráinne Walsh, BSc
(Hons), RN, RSCN, Pediatric Transplant Clinical
Nurse at Evelina Children’s Hospital, London, UK.
It was submitted by 16-year-old Lauren Harris
of Portsmouth, United Kingdom. As the winning
nurse, Gráinne receives a $100 cash prize and
$100 to apply to ITNS events or store merchandise.
We must acknowledge the following nurse
coordinators who were also nominated with beautiful personal essays: Mitzi Barker, Becky Cicale,
Jennifer Johnson, Cathy King, Kathryn Marshall,
Chavonne Newman, Colleen Yost and Shelley
Zomak.
Congratulations Lauren and Gráinne and to all
of the transplant nurses. Thank you again to their
patients for their contributions and participation
in celebrating Transplant Nurses Day 2009!
Where do I start, she’s been there for me the
past 15 years of my life, even though I can’t remember a lot of my younger days, but Gráinne does. She
talks to me about my first days on the ward, the times
I was admitted along the way and how excited/worried I was when I had my transplant and how pleased
everyone was that it went well.
When I think of her, I think that Gráinne is the
best person to approach about anything, either personal advice or just general chit chat. When we talk,
I feel like the most important person as she’s always
100% focused on the subject or just making me generally feel better about myself or the situation. I especially like the fact that she talks to me as an adult as
opposed to talking down to me as a child. And she
makes me understand the importance of taking care
of myself and taking my drugs without it feeling like a
lecture.
“Even when
I get old...
Gráinne will
always be
there.”
Every time I go to clinic she puts a smile on my
face, whatever mood I’m in, because she seems to
understand all I’m going through. She spends a lot of
time with us teenagers and she’s never too busy to
hear my moans and groans. And trust me there’s a
lot, so mum keeps telling me.
Gráinne works hard to make us feel like there is
nothing we can’t do if it’s something we really want,
but she will really miss me/ really want to be with me
if I go to Dublin for University! LOL. I’ll have to fly back
for the clinic visits!
She puts a smile on so many people faces, and
she gives us patients her full best effort and commitment. Especially with the Transplant Games, she is
“Simply The Best”. There are a lot of ways that she
tries to improve things for us, especially the Young
Adult Renal Clinic which has really helped me grow
up a lot. But there is also a lot of other organizing
that she does, fundraising, raising awareness, better
facilities, better education(renal), setting up networks
for us to communicate more freely, she’s always on
the go, she always has an idea to try and improve
things for us.
I’m nearly 17, and not going to be under her
care for many more years, which means only about
eight more clinics…help. Thing is, I know that even
when I get old, 19, and get deported to the adult unit,
Gráinne will always be there if I need her, and I probably will. And even if I don’t and just want to say hello
she’ll always be pleased to see me anyway, because
she cares and I mean she really cares. So with any
luck I’ll be seeing her in 10-20 more years, when
she’s still putting smiles on faces, still listening and
understanding and being there for all the other children like me.
What have I learned??? Where do I start!! Huge
hug and thanks Gráinne. •
ITNS was an Official Partner of the
Donate Life float during the Rose
Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California this past New Years Day. The
float, seen here along the parade
route, honored donation and transplantation leaders.
ITNS
4
Take a Sneak Peak of Montreal
Before ITNS’ “Joie de Vivre”
By Kathy Schwab, RN, BSN, CCTC and Sandy Cupples, RN, Phd l Symposium Co-chairs
“Joie
de Vivre”, this year’s ITNS Symposium,
takes place September 24-26, 2009 in Montreal.
While Symposium planners and presenters are busy
creating one of ITNS’ best Symposiums, you can start
getting familiar with Montreal and all that the city has
to offer. The “joie de vivre”– joy of life is clear and
contagious in this vibrant, culturally diverse and cosmopolitan city. No matter if you are sipping a cappuccino at an outdoor café, gambling at the huge Casino
de Montreal complex or exploring historic Old Montreal, you will experience the excitement and energy
that permeates the entire city.
Montreal attracts tourists year-round; inclement
weather can be avoided by visiting the impressive
Underground City with its restaurants, stores, walkways and subways. The international flavor here is
evident in the many fine restaurants, with cuisine
from around the world, and in the self-contained
ethnic communities like Little Italy, a lively area of
espresso bars and delectable cuisine. For exciting
nightlife, check out the Rue Crescent’s myriad clubs,
bars and restaurants. The historical division between
the French and English influence has significantly
decreased, but distinctive sections still remain.
Below are top-rated attractions identified by fellow tourists with their impressions and descriptions.
Montreal Botanical Gardens (Jardin Botanique de
Montreal)
Located near Olympic Park, Montreal’s huge botanical garden contains over 20,000 different plant species in 31 specialized gardens, including the largest
Chinese Garden outside Asia and a Japanese Garden
with a tea room and fabulous bonsai collection.
Notre-Dame Basilica (Basilique Notre-Dame)
Montreal’s oldest Catholic Church, built in 1656,
is known for its intricately designed interior, which
includes stained glass chronicling the history of the
city.
Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal)
Vieux-Montreal is one of the most beautiful, well preserved and living “old towns” this side of Europe. It
is a major component in making Montreal, “the truly
different North American city”. Very diverse, it is safe,
cultural, cosmopolitan and proud of its French legacy
and French language. Enjoy a Caleche (horse-drawn)
carriage ride in Vieux-Montreal. There are many nice
French restaurants in the area. Museum of Archaeology and History (Pointe-aCalliere Museum)
Discover the history of Montreal in an unusual way at
this fascinating museum located on the actual site of
the original colony in 1642. Following a multimedia
presentation, you take a self-guided tour through
the underground crypt where artifacts unearthed in
archaeological digs are on display in their original
locations.
Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Musee des
Beaux-Arts)
One of Canada’s most famous museums, this
popular institution houses a wide collection of international contemporary and Canadian exhibits, and
straddles two buildings, the 1912 original and its
1991 across-the-street annex with underground galleries that connect the two sites.
Mont (Mount) Royal
Referred to as “the mountain” by locals, this 764-foot
mountain provides an excellent view of the city and is
a popular recreation spot.
Jean-Talon Market
Jean-Talon is a must-see for any foodie, cook or
someone who just loves eating. An indoor/outdoor
market, with stall after stall of quality produce,
meats, fish, charcuterie and baked products on display. It’s also the cheapest way to enjoy a gourmet
experience in this international city. Grab a baguette,
some Quebecois Raclette cheese, a slice of Rabbit
Terrine and perhaps a Chocolate Mousse Torte for
dessert, all for 1/3 of what you will pay downtown.
Stereo Nightclub
Stereo nightclub is an after-hours club in Montreal
which primarily features house music. In 2008,
Stereo was voted #18 nightclub in the world in DJ
Magazine’s Top 100 Clubs. The doors regularly open
at 2 AM and close around 10 AM but can sometimes
be open as late as 3 PM the next day. The after-hours
section of the club is always open on Fridays and Saturdays. It is open every other Sunday, particularly on
holiday weekends. Cover charge at the door depends
on the night and the DJs that are scheduled to play.
Saute-Moutons/Lachine Rapids Jet Boat Tours
A great way to see the city from the water and experience the river more directly than watching it from
afar. Plus the thrill of riding the rapids and getting
VERY wet - particularly nice on a warm day like ours
could be.
Moldavie
Located on Old Montreal, Moldavie has live jazz every
night in the upstairs dinning room. Enjoy drinks and
dessert at the bar downstairs. The Crème Brulee
or the Chocolate Fondant are both highly recommended.
This year’s Symposium is expected to draw hundreds
of ITNS members from around the world to the Hilton
Montreal Bonaventure. Visit the ITNS web site for
more information and register to join us. •
Featured Symposium Speakers
Keynote Speaker Dr. Mary Krugman
ITNS is pleased to announce that Mary Krugman,
PhD, RN, FAAN will be the Keynote Speaker at
our Annual Symposium in Montreal this September. Dr. Krugman’s keynote address will focus on
evidence-based practice in transplant nursing.
In addition to delivering our keynote address on
Thursday, September 24, Dr. Krugman will also
give a presentation in the Staff Nurse Workshop
on Friday, September 25. Dr. Krugman is the Director of Professional Resources at the University
of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. She
received her BSN degree from Skidmore College,
her Master of Arts in Nursing degree from New
York University, and her PhD from the University
of Denver. Dr. Krugman is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and is an internationally
reknown author, editor and speaker.
Dr. Roger Evans
Dr. Evans will be a featured luncheon speaker
exploring the topic ”Ethnocentrism Is an Unacceptable Rationale for Health Care Policy: A Critique on
Transplant Tourism Position Statements” He will
discuss medical tourism as a global healthcare
phenomenon, identify issues related to the
commercialization of transplantation and examine
flaws in professional position statements related
to transplant tourism. Dr. Evans received his doctorate in Sociology from Duke University in 1979.
He has served as a Clinical Assistant, then Clinical
Associate Professor in the Department of Health
Services in the School of Public Health and Community Medicine at the University of Washington.
In 1992, he was appointed to chair the newly created Section of Health Services Evaluation at the
Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He is
currently an independent consultant.
Dr. Michael J. Goldstein
Dr. Goldstein will focus on defining high risk in
adult renal transplantation with his presentation
“Clearing the High Risk Renal Transplant: When is
it Too Risky?”. Dr. Goldstein is the Surgical Director of Pediatric Abdominal Transplantation at the
Morgan Stanley Childrens Hospital of New York. He
is also an Assistant Attending Surgeon at New York
Presbyterian Hospital, CUMC and an Assistant Professor at Columbia University Medical Center. Dr.
Goldstein received his MD from Temple University
in 1997 and completed a Fellowship at the Center
for Liver Disease and Transplantation at New York
Presbyterian Hospital –CUMC.
Mark your calendars so that you will be sure to
hear these most dynamic and motivating speakers!
5
ITNS
Certification Exams: All your
Questions Answered
There has been much talk lately about the
existence of the Transplant Professional Certification
Exams. What are they? Which exam do I take? Why
should I even bother? Hopefully, these questions and
more will be answered for you in the information to
follow…
The American Board for Transplant Certification (ABTC) is an independent, not for profit
organization that was founded in 1988. ABTC is the
certifying agency offering voluntary credentialing
examinations in the field of organ transplantation
and is incorporated as an independent corporation
and performs the following services:
•Establishes educational and competency
standards for the transplant professional.
•Defines transplant coordination as a profession.
•Credentials transplant professionals.
•Maintains a list of credentialed practitioners.
•Promotes continued professional growth of
practitioners through education and
recertification.
Certification offers a variety of benefits:
•Professional and intellectual growth
•Personal satisfaction
•Patients’ confidence
•Increased salary in many centers
•More job opportunities
ABTC offers three different certification exams for
the Transplant Professional. You may wonder what
the difference is between CCTC, CPTC, and CCTN and
who should take which exam?
CCTC - Certified Clinical Transplant Coordinator Certification is for transplant coordinators who work in
a transplant program directly with patients needing
transplant for treatment pre and post surgery as well
as helping to coordinate organ placement.
programs directly with patients in pre and post transplant surgery. This individual will most likely not see
the patient once released from the hospital.
The exams are offered electronically throughout the
year by appointment. A candidate handbook, application form, and answers to many other questions are
available at http://abtc.net/.
Recertification Tips
Over the last number of years, there has been an
increased interest from transplant nurses, transplant coordinators, and procurement coordinators to
become certified by sitting for an ABTC Certification
exam. ITNS and NATCO offer periodic review courses
to assist in the preparation for these exams and
there have also been many ITNS chapters as well as
individual groups at various transplant centers who
have organized their own local review to prepare for
test taking. Once certified, though, don’t forget that
the criteria for re-certification must be met every
three years or you would be required to re-take the
exam. Documentation of continuing education and
transplant related activities must be provided along
with a re-certification application. The specific guidelines for submission are available on the ABTC website at www.abtc.net, but the information below will
provide a basic guide to get you started so you can
begin to prepare for this process.
To maintain ABTC certification, you must accumulate 60 Continuing Education Points for Transplant
Coordinators (CEPTCs) within the three-year period
prior to the recertification submission deadline date,
which is September 30. There are three categories
in which to earn these points and the explanation of
each category with examples of appropriate activities
are as follows:
CATEGORY 1
CPTC - Certified Procurement Transplant Coordinator
Certification is for transplant coordinators who work
primarily in an organ procurement organization and
who work with donors and families for donation and
placement of organs.
Explanation: Clinical Transplant and/or Recovery/
Preservation programs; ABTC Exam, Question Writing, completion of CEPTC offerings in the Progress
in Transplantation journal, and/or ABTC Committee
membership.
CCTN - Certified Clinical Transplant Nurse Certification is for floor and ICU nurses who work in transplant
Requirements: A CEPTC equals 60 minutes of continuing education credit that is approved by the ABTC
Continuing Certification Committee. The provider of
the offering should provide information that specifies
if it is ABTC approved. A minimum of 20 CEPTCs per
three-year period in this category must be earned
through an ABTC-approved program or activity as
listed above. While any number of CEPTCs may be
earned, a maximum of 50 CEPTCs may be submitted
per three-year period in category 1.
CATEGORY 2
Explanation: Academic credit courses, teaching/
consulting activities, professional publications, paper
presentations, poster sessions, quality assurance/
leadership activities.
Requirements: No minimum required. While any
number of CEPTCs may be earned, a maximum of 40
CEPTCs per three-year period may be submitted in
this category. (It is unnecessary to submit any more
than the total maximum accepted for this category).
CATEGORY 3
Explanation: Programs that address a broad area
of health care but are not appropriate for Category 1
credit. This category encompasses continuing education activities planned to meet the individual’s potential for professional growth. Examples include ACLS,
ATLS, BLS-C, PALS, occupational and development
training, leadership/business/management, publishing, stress management, burnout.
Requirements: No minimum required. A maximum of
40 CEPTCs per three-year period may be submitted in
this category.
So, some tips for recertification might include:
• This is a continuous process. Don’t wait until the
last minute to collect documentation.
•Track your CEPTCs so you don’t fall short of the
requirements.
•When planning an educational activity, consider
obtaining CEPTCs (ITNS is an approved provider).
Please feel free to refer to the guidelines on the ABTC
web site or contact the main office with any questions regarding qualifying activities. •
ABTC Continues Approved Provider Program Offers
The ABTC Board of Governors has approved
extending the free offer for Approved Provider Status for Transplant Centers who have five transplant
nurses successfully earn the CCTN credential in the
2009 calendar year.
The American Board for Transplant Certification
(ABTC) is offering a once in a lifetime chance. If your
transplant program succeeds in certifying at least
five transplant nurses (CCTN) between January 1 and
December 31, 2009, your program will receive one
year’s worth of free approved provider status for the
2010 calendar year. With an unlimited amount of CE
credit you can offer your staff, you can minimize staff
travel expenses – a $1,500 savings!
For more details on the types of CE you can offer
visit the ABTC website at http://www.abtc.net/ceptc.
html. The winners must complete the application
form and meet the requirements in order to qualify
for the free approved provider status. ABTC will be
tracking each of the candidates in order to determine
what programs succeed, so be sure to have your staff
include the center name on the application form.
Because of the current state of the economy, the
board felt that it is more important than ever to help
transplant professional maintain certification. This
free offer helps programs provide continuing education for less money by being able to offer Category 1
credits onsite at their facilities. For more informaiton
on this free offer, please visit the ABTC or ITNS website. •
ITNS
6
W ellspirit
Aromatherapy:
Loving Lavender
By Barb Schroeder, MS, RN, CNS l Organ Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist l Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
Aromatherapy
is a recent addition to
nursing care in the United States. In contrast it has
been accepted as a part of nursing in Switzerland,
Germany, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom
for many years (Snyder, M. 2006). It is well suited for
nursing and also personal wellness as it takes into
account the sensory experience of both smell and
touch.
Styles (1997) defined aromatherapy as the use
of essential oils for therapeutic purposes that encompass mind, body and spirit. Aromatherapy means
“treatment using scents”. It is a holistic treatment of
caring for the body with pleasant smelling botanical
oils such as rose, lemon, lavender and peppermint.
The essential oils are added to the bath or massaged
into the skin, inhaled directly or diffused to scent an
entire room.
Aromatherapy is used to relieve pain, care for the
skin, alleviate tension and fatigue and invigorate the
entire body. Essential oils can affect the mood, alleviate fatigue, reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
When inhaled, they work on the brain and nervous
system through stimulation of the olfactory nerves.
The essential oils are aromatic essences
extracted from plants, flowers, trees, fruits, bark,
grasses and seeds with distinctive therapeutic,
psychological, and physiological properties which
improve and prevent illness. To get the maximum
benefit from an essential oil, it should be made from
natural, pure raw materials. Synthetically-made oils
do not work.
Aromatherapy is one of the fastest growing fields
in alternative medicine. It is widely used in homes,
clinics and hospitals for a variety of applications.
Simply stated; aromatherapy is the practice of
using herbs, flowers and essential oils for healing,
relaxing and balancing the mind, body and spirit. We
know smell is one of our most powerful senses and
what we smell can have a profound impact on how
we feel.
Lavender
Lavender is an essential oil often used for
relaxation and calming. Its scents are floral, sweet,
woody and herbal in nature. Lavender is available
as a lotion, oil, bath gel, and also in soaps and even
teas. It can be inhaled, massaged or used in a bath/
shower.
Lavender shows benefits in treating insomnia,
headaches, fatigue, mild depression and stress
reduction. Having a busy exhausting day at work?
You might want to apply lavender lotion to your
hands prior to leaving work. Put a drop of a lavender
essential oil on a cotton ball, and tape it to your left
clavicle. Sit quietly and gently inhale the scent. Enjoy
the effects of relaxation. Use this to calm you prior to
taking a test or doing a procedure for the first time.
As with medication usage there are contraindications
for essential oils also. You should not use lavender in
the early stages of pregnancy and use with caution
with low blood pressure.
Many transplant centers and clinics are now
looking into the use of lavender with this patient
population. We as nurses can also benefit from this
essential oil. So take a deep breath of lavender and
feel the calming effect.
References
Snyder. M & R. Lindquist (2006), Complementary/Alternative Therapies in Nursing. 5th Edition. Springer Publishing
Company.
Medline Plus. (2008), Lavender (lavandula angustifolia
miller). Retrieved October 10th, 2008 from http:www.nih.
gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-lavender.html. •
ABTC Tests the Largest Group
of Individuals since Inception
The ABTC Board of Governors is proud to announce that it administered examinations to the largest group of individu-
als in 2008 in organizational history. Now offering three certifications, CCTC, CPTC and CCTN, the Board has been able
to expand the number of certified transplant professionals to help continue its mission of ensuring public safety through
assessment of competency for practitioners. “This is quite a milestone in ABTC’s twenty-two year history,” stated Rick
Hasz, Jr. MS, CPTC, president. “We look forward to continuing to expand our current credentialing programs with an end
goal of 100% certified transplant professionals as well as look at new opportunities in the field where certification is
needed.”
In 2008, ABTC tested 378 individuals – the most ever – with 294 individuals successfully completing the examination
and earning certification. The number of individuals achieving certification was only surpassed in 2004 (the year CCTN
was launched) when the board certified 295 individuals – 150 of those being Certified Clinical Transplant Nurses (CCTN).
ABTC Totals for 2008
CCTC
CPTC
CCTN
Total
Number
Tested
176
141
61
378
Number
Passed
138
100
56
294
Congratulations to everyone who
has earned certification!
7
ITNS
C linical R eview C olumn
Long-Term Consequences
of Kidney Donation
(from New England Journal of Medicine (N ENGL J MED 360;5 January 29, 2009)
By Frank Van Gelder, RN, BSN, ECTC l Scientific Consultant for the International Transplant Nurses Society
One of the major daily tasks of clinical transplant
nurses worldwide is taking care of the living donor
pre, peri and post donation. Although quality of the
kidney seems to be superior for the transplant recipient, one might be concerned about long-term health
risks for the living donor. As nurses dedicated in
taking care of the follow up of living kidney donors,
we are interested in what the health risk and quality
of life might be on a long term basis. Until recently,
series published on long term follow up of kidney
donors included rather small numbers to compare
and brief follow-up periods. Although most of the programs are convinced that there is no additional risk,
studies are necessary to highlight certain risk groups
or behaviors that might impact long term morbidity
and mortality.
Details of the reviewed article
In the New England Journal of Medicine (360; 5) of
January 2009, Hassan N. Ibrahim et al. published
the first large series of 3,698 living kidney donors. As
clinical nurses taking care of these patients, this column reviews a few details of the published article.
Since 1963, data were collected and from 2003
until 2007 more in-depth analyses were compared
such as glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urinary
albumin excretion. Also, analyses for the prevalence
of hypertension, general health status and quality of
life were compared in 255 donors and an identical
group of controls. The overall results showed a similar survival between the 3698 living donors and controls matched for age, sex, race and ethnic groups.
The incidence of developing end-stage renal disease
after being a living donor was lower (180 per million per year) than when compared with the general
population (268 per million per year). This might suggest that live kidney donor group shows a selection
bias when comparing with the general public through
in-depth physical and medical examination. In the
majority of the donors in which the cause of death
was known, cardiovascular diseases were responsible in 30% of all deaths reported. Of the donors
who died, no donor was reported with kidney failure
before death. The cause of end stage renal disease
in the 11 donors was by diabetes, hypertension and
glomerulonephritis. The article showed that no higher
risk on mortality or on end-stage renal failure was
seen between living kidney donors and the general
population. In addition, their quality of life was shown
to be very good.
When going more into detail comparing 255
donors and controls, the majority of donors had a
GFR higher than 60ml per minute per 1,73m². The
GFR stayed stable of the entire follow up period.
Younger donors throughout showed an even higher
compensatory increase of the contra-lateral kidney
after donation. Higher age, body mass index and
female sex were associated with a higher risk of
decreased GFR lower then 60ml/minute/1,73m².
The longer the time since donation the higher the
incidence of albuminuria. The risk of hypertension
was associated with age and higher body-mass
index. Overall lower GFR and urinary albumin to creatinine ratio was lower in the group of living donors.
But healthier lifestyle and better quality of life was
confirmed in lower systolic blood pressure, lower
triglycerides, lower cholesterol, lower glucose, less
incidence of diabetes, less obesity and lower current
smoking habits.
“...donors show
no additional risks
for end stage renal
disease or higher
mortality rates
after donation.”
Conclusion
The study suggests that when well established
pre-donation screenings take place, donors show no
additional risks for end stage renal disease or higher
mortality rates after donation. Through extensive
screening, good general health conditions of the
potential donors are mapped and therefore the
relative risk is minimized after donation. A welldeveloped followup program might be of interest to
expand on long term data of living kidney donors.
For the clinical transplant nurses taking care of
living donors, studies like these confirm the necessity
of good clinical follow up screening to ensure healthy
lifestyles and favorable quality of life after donation.
In daily practice, clinical transplant nurses and coordinators are responsible for ensuring high quality
follow up. ITNS is an organization promoting the clinical nurses expertise and role in these living donor
follow ups. Together, the ITNS Core Curriculum and
the recently published ITNS Scope and Standards of
Transplant Nursing highlight the importance of the
clinical nurse’s role in the pre, peri and post living
donor screening and follow up. •
ITNS Chapters
in Development
Although
very rewarding and gratifying, many of our ITNS members are aware it
takes a bit of work to charter an ITNS Chapter!! It only seems fit to acknowledge those
ITNS members and their local committees
who are currently working to charter new
chapters in their areas. If you reside in one
of these areas and either aren’t involved or
didn’t know a chapter was being developed,
please feel free to contact those listed
below. And…if you are thinking of working
toward the development of a local ITNS
Chapter of your own, feel free to contact the
ITNS Chapter Development Director, Chris
Shay-Downer, @ [email protected] and she will
be happy to help you get started.
Arizona
Mary Murphy
[email protected]
Arkansas
Thomas Lites
[email protected]
Cincinnati, Ohio
Nancy Majors
[email protected]
Delaware Valley (Philadelphia, PA)
Patty Pfeiffenberger
[email protected]
Los Angeles, California
Scott Snider
[email protected]
Miami, Florida
Audra Lopez
[email protected]
Mississippi
Tracey Kendrick
[email protected]
ITNS
8
A bstract R eviews
Home Inotropes – Keeping
the Window of Opportunity
Open for Cardiac Transplant
By Holly Andrews RN; Annemarie Kaan RN MCN CCN(C) CCTN, Doson Chua BSc(Pharm) PharmD BCPS(AQ)
NOTE: The following four articles are reviews of
selected winning abstracts from the ITNS Annual
Symposium in St. Louis in September 2008.
that the following criteria were a realistic starting
point:
The Heart Transplant Program in British Colum-
•unable to be weaned from therapy following two
attempts
bia, Canada performs approximately twenty transplants per year. Like all programs, the wait time is
dependent on ABO compatibility and body size. The
average wait time is six months, however larger- sized
patients who are “O” blood group can wait for over
a year. The only options available to patients who
are unstable, in the end stages of heart failure and
waiting for a transplant are intravenous inotropes or
ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation to bridge
them to their transplant. Until recently, patients who
were treated with inotropic support were kept in our
cardiology ward, sometimes for many months. This
posed not only logistical problems for the staff and
financial burden to our health care system (ref 1)
but placed the patient at risk of acquiring a hospitalbased infection, decreased nutritional intake, physical deconditioning and depression.
“Our team
decided that
creating a home
inotrope program
would address
these issues.”
Inclusion Criteria
The first step was to create criteria for inclusion into
the program. The clinical team met and determined
•implantable defibrillator in place (preferred)
•stable low dose therapy
Once these criteria were agreed upon, the next steps
involved logistical implementation of the program:
•able to actively participate in educational
program
1. Funding Approval
The Canadian health care system differs greatly
from the United States. It has a publicly funded prescription drug plan, which is administered by each
•long term IV access such as using a peripherally
inserted central catheter
Home Inotrope Discha
rge Checklist
Medication
Drug Dose Concentration Pump rate IV Access
PICC line inserted Education
Patient is able to comp
etently:
Intials
Date
ers
info
Stop the Pump
Start the Pump
Change the battery
Change the bag
Re set the reservoir volum
Home Inotrope Program
Evidence suggests that patients treated in an outpatient setting with inotropes achieve substantial cost
savings and it reduces hospital occupancy. From a
nursing perspective more importantly, by allowing
patients to return home, quality of life is improved by
increasing independence and returning them to their
families, familiar surroundings and social supports
(ref 2).
With this in mind, our team decided that creating a home inotrope program would address these
issues.
•on optimum medical therapy
e
Confirm the dosage
Change the tubing
Prime the tubing
Basic trouble shooting
Clinic and after hrs numb
Calea Pharmacy contact
Self vital signs
Supports
TST arranged for PICC lin
e
Pre heart transplant clin
care
ic follow-up
9
province. Inotropic medications were not included in
this plan because typically they are not used in an
outpatient setting. That meant that the patient would
have to pay for both the IV pump and the drug out of
their own pocket. This cost would be prohibitive to
most patients.
Two strategies were utilized to overcome these
issues. First, enrolling the patient into the provincial
palliative benefits program entitled the patient to
The British Columbia palliative benefits program. The
program is able to fund all equipment and supplies
needed to deliver the drug at home. We found that
this additional level of support was appropriate as
these patients are dying from their disease until they
get a transplant. The second strategy was to work on
having the drugs listed onto the provincial drug plan.
Our pharmacy department was instrumental in
navigating the complex paper work needed to
achieve this.
2. Education
Active participation by the patient and caregiver are
key to ensuring success. Both the patient and their
caregivers participated in an individualized education
program. We used a competency based system and
used both written and visual tools to demonstrate
competence.
Despite the challenges that we faced in starting
the program, we have seen significant benefits. Certainly a successful hospital discharge leads to financial and logistical benefits, but most importantly, we
now have a group of patients who are given an option
other than having a VAD implanted. Living at home
in their own environment means that patients who
have been successful in the program feel better both
Improving Pain Management
in the Intestinal Transplant
and Multivisceral Transplant
Patient Population
By Marcia McCaw, Unit Director, Abdominal Transplant Unit l UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennslyvania
The Abdominal Transplant Units at UPMC Presby-
terian, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, are
designated “Innovative” units for work redesign and
process improvement. We have presented posters
and oral presentations at the 2007 and 2008 Annual
ITNS Meetings on several of our successful projects
including: Utilizing work redesign to increase nurse
retention on an Abdominal Progressive Care Unit
(2007 oral presentation), Patient Education of Renal
Transplant Patients (2007 poster), Ticket to Ride:
Providing Safe Intrahospital Transport (2008 oral
presentation), and Improving Pain Management in
the Intestinal Transplant and Multivisceral Transplant
Patient Population (2008 poster).
physically and emotionally.
Outpatient inotrope therapy adds another viable
option for end-stage heart failure patients. There are
financial, physical and emotional benefits for patients
to be in a home setting. Nurses are key both in development of the program and in patient preparation.
References:
Jimenez J (2003) Long term (>8 weeks) home inotropic therapy as destination therapy with advance
heart failure or as bridge to heart transplantation.
International Journal of Cardiology, Vol 99, No 1, pp
47-50.
Sindone A (1997) Continuous home ambulatory intravenous inotropic drug therapy in severe heart failure:
safety and cost efficacy. American Heart Journal. Vol
134, No 5, pp 889-900. •
The transplant
activity and heart
donor management – experience
a heart transplant
center in Poland
By Irena Milaniak
The John Paul II Hospital with The Car-
opiate and adjunctive medication administration. We
measured the number of steps that the nurse walked
to the patient room, medication room, and back. The
number of steps for one month was 215,992. The
calculation for the number of dispensed hydromorphone 1 mg doses for one month was 1,102. This
data was presented to the transplant surgeons with
a recommendation that we modify our practice to
decrease the frequency of hydromorphone prn doses,
establish a standard procedure for administration of
all IV opiates, and encourage the use of Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA).
Following the implementation of the new guidelines, the number of hydromorphone 1 mg doses for
“Patient pain management satisfaction
scores (Press-GaneyTM) increased
somewhat during the four months
post-implementation.”
We were pleased that the Improving Pain Management poster generated discussion at the 2008
meeting. Providing adequate pain management in
the intestinal and multivisceral transplant patient is
a challenge for our nursing staff and this dilemma is
shared by the international nursing community. Prior
to their transplant, many of the patients were prescribed opiates and other adjunctive medications for
pain. Their post-operative course is complex and the
pain issues include acute-on-chronic pain as well as
the little-understood “phantom gut syndrome”.
To improve our patient satisfaction and decrease
nurse frustration, we collected data related to the
ITNS
two months was 375 (mean). The number of steps
for the nursing staff decreased to 67,188 for one
month. Patient pain management satisfaction scores
(Press-GaneyTM) increased somewhat during the
four months post-implementation.
We continue to evaluate this course of action
to maintain effective pain control and decrease the
nursing workload associated with caring for these
complex patients.
If you have any questions please feel free to
e-mail me at [email protected]. •
diovascular Surgery and Transplantology
plays an important role in the treatment
of heart and lung diseases and is one of
four heart transplant centers in Poland.
The hospital serves over 5.5 million people
of three regions. From 1988 to February
2007 the center performed over 506 heart
transplantation procedures. The transplant
activity was analyzed with respect to local
donors and donors received from National
Center of Coordination Poltransplant during
nine years of activity. An educational program was developed as a result of transplant activity. Heart donor management
was analyzed in the aspects of utilization
donors and reason for refusal.
The results of this study:
• Local donors accounted for 12.3% of all
transplants (3.8 donors per million
population) whereas the best region in
Poland has 31.9% (9.2 donors per
million population).
• There was a conversion rate of 20.8%.
• The most common reasons for not
utilizing an organ were donor quality and
donor age, accounting for approximately
50% of all refusals.
• Currently, a lack of suitable recipients
has slowed the transplantation rate.
Since June 2005, the Center has conducted an educational campaign regarding
organ donation. The main aims are achieving media approval and social support as
well as continued advocacy of the physicians and nurses. During the campaign we
have observed an increase in the acceptance of donation but the long term results
are yet to be seen.
ITNS
10
A bstract R eviews
Ambivalence in Adult Live
Liver Donors: An Ethical
Conundrum?
By Denise S. Morin, MSN, RN l Senior Transplant Coordinator/Live Liver Donation l Lahey Clinic
The increased use of living donors has been one
alternative offered by the transplant community in
response to an insufficient supply of deceased donor
organs. When considering potential live liver donor
candidates, it is incumbent upon the independent
donor advocacy team to remain cognizant of both the
physical and emotional consequences of participating in the donation process. Our guiding principle for
donor care reminds us that these are healthy people
undergoing elective surgery that they do not need to
restore their own health. Given the significant potential morbidity and mortality of right hepatic lobe (RHL)
donation, it is particularly important to complete a
thorough psychosocial assessment on all potential
donors with specific attention to their motivation for
donation, the nature of the donor-recipient relationship, available supports during the recuperative
period and coping mechanisms.
To help better understand these issues, our
team developed a quality of life survey to be offered
to all living liver donors. This survey included the
standard SF-36 health outcomes survey as well as a
procedure-specific survey that identified demographic
data, financial concerns, physiologic symptoms
experienced and psychological stressors. The same
surveys were administered at multiple time points:
pre-donation, 1 week post donation, and 1, 3, 6, and
12 months post donation. It was during the analysis
of these data that the ambivalence theme surfaced.
We operationally identified ambivalence as simultaneously having conflicting feelings about an issue.
The term reluctance was considered, but thought
to connote negativity in the sense of unwillingness,
opposition, and/or resistance.
In an effort to further analyze this concept of
ambivalence, (incidence, associated variables, and
consequences on the decision to donate), data on
93 completed RHL donors were reviewed including
quality of life surveys (as described above), chart
reviews, clinic appointment assessments, and verbal
reports from team colleagues, in an attempt to identify either patient or staff -identified ambivalence. If
ambivalence was identified, our concern surrounded
the appropriateness of donation for those particular
donors with respect to the ethical principles of donor
autonomy versus provider nonmaleficence.
Staff-identified and self-identified ambivalent
donors were not equivalent. Staff assessments indicated 20 ambivalent donors, 16 male and 4 female.
Eighteen donors self-identified as ambivalent, 11
male and 7 female. Seven were on both lists, 5 male
and 2 female. The combinations of brother to brother
and son to father were the most common pairs
among ambivalent donors and more common than in
the total donor cohort. Recipient diagnoses of alcohol
or Hepatitis C (statistically significant) related liver
disease were more common in ambivalent donors.
Ambivalent donors were slightly older and more likely
to be college educated and to express significant religious affiliations than the total RHL live donor group;
these variables also were statistically significant.
Ambivalence about living RHL donation was present in one third of candidates who completed donation. Staff-identified and self-identified ambivalent
donors demonstrated similar characteristics, but
only a 20% overlap. Male donor recipient pairs and
perceived self-induced recipient liver disease were
more common among ambivalent donors than nonambivalent donors. The etiology of recipient liver disease and its association with ambivalence was logical from the perspective of the concern for recidivism
with self destructive behaviors and recurrent disease
We Sailed away….
On
February 7, 2009, conference attendees sailed
away from Jacksonville, Florida, setting their sights on a
wonderful conference aboard the Carnival Fascination
cruise ship and the beautiful Bahamas. The conference
entitled “Our Patients, Ourselves: The Stress of Caring
in Transplant Nursing” was presented by Johnnathan R.
Ward, M.Div, CTS, CWC, ABF during the two days at sea.
Chaplain Ward has previously presented at ITNS events
with excellent reviews by ITNS members, and we were
pleased that he was able to do so again. In recognizing
that transplant nurses are continually faced with the challenge of balancing empathic, holistic patient care with the
danger of high stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue
for the complex patient for whom we care, Chaplain Ward
designed the conference to be a concentrated educational
experience in the areas of stress management, resilience,
and wellness practices for nurses. Caring for ourselves will
in turn help us give better care to our patients. Attendees
stated they felt relaxed and that he gave them tools that
they could actually take with them to help with the stress
we all experience in trying to give our transplant patients
the best care possible, while still caring for ourselves.
During the two days at ports of call, Half Moon Cay,
Bahamas, and Freeport, Bahamas, attendees had some
glorious R&R to practice all they learned from Chaplain
Ward. The ocean was a beautiful turquoise blue, the sand
almost white, and the weather was perfect.
All in all a glorious trip!
post transplant. That ambivalent donors attained
higher educational levels and indicated stronger religious identification than the total donor cohort was
interpreted to mean that these donors utilized the
resources of their advanced education and spiritual
identification to consider more carefully the prospect
of donation.
When considering potential RHL donor candidates, patient autonomy must be balanced with
provider nonmaleficence. In many instances, donor
ambivalence was a sign of a careful and considered
examination of all aspects of the donation process.
Whether expressed or perceived, ambivalence in
potential RHL donor candidates should not be the
sole reason for donor disqualification. However, it
highlights the significance of the role of the independent donor advocacy team. Within the context
of completing thorough psychosocial assessments
and ongoing re-evaluation of donor perceptions of
the donation process, other measures to safeguard
potential donors during the evaluation process
include: reminders about their ability to opt out of
the process at any time, recognizing that an “internal” pressure to donate is unavoidable, including an
additional psychosocial assessment for the “young
adult donors,” and building in a waiting period
before final surgical consent to allow the donor an
opportunity to rescind their initial decision. Finally,
an ethics consult may be helpful to support the
donor candidate and the independent donor advocacy team to arrive at a decision that protects the
potential RHL donor’s best interests. Remember the
guiding principle! •
11
ITNS
Portrait of an ITNS Chapter:
The Golden Triangle Chapter
The following is an interview between
Chris Shay-Downer, ITNS Director of
Chapter Development, and Nancy
Stitt, a co-founder of ITNS and the
Golden Triangle Chapter.
We would like to know a little background about
how your chapter came to be chartered…
Q: How was it decided that a chapter would be chartered in your area?
A: Since ITNS originated in Pittsburgh, the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center transplant nurses were
very committed to creating and chartering a chapter.
Q: How many people were on the organizing committee and how many members did you have when your
chapter became chartered?
A: There were about ten people on the organizing
committee who were dedicated to getting this going
back then. When we were officially chartered as an
ITNS chapter on February 17, 1993 we had 31 members.
Q: Who is your current chapter president?
A: Nancy Stitt (co-founder of ITNS and first ITNS
president)
Q: What positions make up your local board of directors?
A: President Emeritus, President, President-Elect,
Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Committee Chairperson, Journal Club Chairperson, Dinner Meeting
Chairperson, Website Director/Newsletter Editor.
Q: What are your current goals regarding chapter
development?
A: We want to continue to increase our member
numbers. Another chapter initiative is to increase
community involvement and support our local Family Houses (a home-away-from home for hospital
patient’s family members/friends). There are three
soon-to-be four Family Houses around the UPMC
Presbyterian and UPMC Shadyside hospitals. This
year we are going to create a GTC Excellence in
Transplant Nursing award.
Q: What types of activities are you able to provide to
your chapter members locally?
A: Quarterly journal clubs, quarterly dinner meetings,
annual Spring Symposium.
Q: Is there an activity that you are involved in that
your chapter is particularly proud of?
A: This year we will be supporting the Family Houses
of Pittsburgh (see above). At each of our quarterly
dinner meetings, attendees are asked to bring nonperishable items to be donated to Family House.
There are four Family Houses and we will donate to
each of the four in the order that the Family House
was built (Family House Mckee Place, Family House
Neville, Family House Shadyside and the 4th to be
opened: Family House University Place (spring opening). We are going to have the Director of Volunteer
Services speak at our next meeting to provide information and encourage ITNS members to become
volunteers at Family House.
Q: Do you charge a membership fee in addition to
the International ITNS membership fee?
A: Membership dues are $20/year
Q:How many members do you have currently?
A: 115
Q: What one tip/piece of advice would you have liked
to know earlier in your chapter development that you
could now give to other ITNS Chapters and Chapters
in development?
A: Know that it IS a lot of work, commitment and
often work done on own time outside of work hours…
that sometimes the same people shoulder the work
which is why some chapters burn-out and have dissolved. This has not been the case for GTC but I know
for other chapters in the beginning of ITNS it was.
Keep new blood coming in. Be creative…find out what
your membership wants.
Q: Any advice for a starting or struggling chapter?
A: Reach out to those who have done this and/or are
out there now. There is a WEALTH of support from all
of the other chapters. •
The Benefits of BOD Service
ITNS recently held elections for the 2009-2010
Board of Directors. The Board is comprised of 12
directors. President, President -Elect, President
Emeritus, Secretary/Web Director, Treasurer, International Directors (2), Chapter Development Director,
Marketing Director, Education
Director, Newsletter Director,
and Research Director. This
year six of those positions
were open for nominations.
Newly-elected to the board
this year will be President
Elect, one International
Director, Treasurer, Chapter
Development Director, Marketing Director, and Research
Director.
Serving on the ITNS Board
of Directors is one of the
most challenging and rewarding experiences of your
transplant nursing career.
Being a Board member is a
voluntary, non-paid position. Any active member in
good standing for at least two years who is working
in Transplantation is eligible to run for all positions
except President-Elect. The position of President
Elect requires previous ITNS Board experience. Typically most positions involve a two-year commitment,
with the President and Treasurer positions being a
three-year commitment. Attendance at four Board of
Director meetings a year is required, one of which is
held at the Annual Symposium.
It is not too early to start thinking ahead to the
2010-2011 elections. Open positions will be President- Elect, one International Director, Secretary/
Web Director, Newsletter Director and Education
Director. Basic requirements for each position are
available in the ITNS bylaws posted on the ITNS web
site (ITNS.org). If any of the open positions entice
you, you may also contact the main office or any of
the current board members for further information.
So if you are a motivated, outstanding leader,
enthusiastic, have exciting ideas, and are committed
to the practice of transplant nursing consider throwing your hat into the ring next year and run for the
ITNS Board of Directors. You’ll be glad you did! •
CCTN
Columbus, Ohio will serve
as the host city for the next ITNS
Transplant Certification Review (TCR)
course from November 15-17, 2009.
This three-day workshop runs from
Saturday through Monday. The course
will be held at the Columbus Westin;
conveniently accessible to the airport
and major highways for driving. The
course includes a review of all transplanted organs, as well as other issues
addressed in the test, such as Professional Ethics and Patient Literacy.
ITNS
12
Victoria Shieck Recipient of
Sigma Theta Tau Excellence
in Nursing Practice Award
By Sandra A. Cupples, PhD., RN
ITNS member and CEU Coordinator Victoria
(Vicky) L. Shieck, BSN, RN, CCTN, has received the
Sigma Theta Tau Rho Chapter 2009 Excellence in
Nursing Practice Award. Vicky is the Clinical Care
Coordinator for Pediatric Liver Transplantation at the
University of Michigan Transplant Center. She was
the President of ITNS in 1998.
This prestigious award is given to the chapter
member who best demonstrates a breadth of knowledge in clinical nursing practice, develops creative
approaches to nursing practice that contribute to
quality patient care, advances the scope and practice
of nursing, enhances the image of nursing, inspires
colleagues’ nursing practice through mentoring and
preceptoring, manifests both clinical expertise and
scholarship, and influences the practice of nursing
through communication and participation in community, legislative and professional activities.
In nominating Vicky for this award, her colleagues cited her professional excellence, integrity,
and dedication. Her resume reflects her scholarly
contributions including numerous publications and
presentations and serving as Guest Editor of “The
Immunology Report”, Nurse’s Edition, 2008. Vicky
is described as someone who “pours her heart and
energy in her job, which knows no hours” and “has
taken her pediatric transplant patients into her soul
and has dedicated her life to making their lives as
normal as possible”. This is no more evident than
in Vicky’s endeavors as the co-founder and ongoing
Health Center Director of Camp Michitanki – a summer camp for pediatric transplant patients.
As one of her colleagues wrote: “The Vicky I
would like to acknowledge transcends the remarkable words and clinical practice history on her
resume. This is the Vicky who, in the middle of winter, works on raffles, bowling events, and auctions
to provide funding for summer Camp Michitanki…
a University of Michigan camp for children with
transplants. Vicky has been pivotal in this Transplant
Center Camp from its inception and she continues to
be the heart and soul of the camp. From designing
crafts, projects, games, and activities to overseeing
the health concerns of this ‘full-of-life’ group, she is
the driving force. Much of the success and joy of the
campers is due to Vicky’s exuberant planning and
direction!”
ITNS congratulates Vicky Shieck on her prestigious award and joins Rho Chapter in acknowledging
her many contributions that have advanced transplantation nursing practice and enriched the lives of
pediatric transplant patients! •
Vicky Schieck, left accepts the Sigma Theta Tau Rho Chapter 2009 Excellence in Nursing Practice Award with her
niece, Taylor Machain, a nursing student at Columbia Union
College.
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2009 ITNS Board of Directors
Clare Whittaker, RN, BSc [HONS]
President
The Royal London Hospital,
London, UK
Senior Clinical Nurse Specialist
[email protected]
Beth Kallenborn, RN BSN CCTC President-Elect
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Clinical Transplant Coordinator, Liver Candidate
[email protected] Patricia G. Folk, RN,BSN,CCTC President Emeritus
Strazl Transplantation Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
In- house Clinical Coordinator/Patient Educator
[email protected]
Bonnie Potter RN CCTC
Treasurer
Liver Transplant Coordinator
Mayo Clinic
[email protected]
Lynette Fix, RN,BAN,CCTC
Secretary/Web Director
Mayo Clinic
Kidney Transplant Coordinator
[email protected]
Chris Shay Downer, RN, BSN, CCTC
Director Chapter Development
Cleveland Clinic
Intestinal Transplant Coordinator
[email protected]
Christiane Kugler, PhD, RN
International Director
Hannover Medical School,
Hannover, Germany
Thoracic Transplantation
[email protected]
Tammy Sebers, RN, BSN, CNN
Director Marketing
Oregon Health Sciences University
[email protected]
Michelle James, MS, RN, CNS, CCTN
Director Education
University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview
Solid Organ Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist
[email protected]
Renee Bennett RN BSN CNOR CCTN CCTC
Director Newsletter
Cleveland Clinic
Clinical Manager
[email protected]
Fiona Burrell RN
International Director
Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
Nursing Unit Manager Transplant Ward
[email protected]
Cynthia L. Russell PhD, RN,
Director Research
University of Missouri, Associate Professor
[email protected]
Beth Kassalen, MBA
ITNS Executive Director
ITNS Headquarters
[email protected]