Improving Urologic Nursing Care Around the World

Transcription

1 Volume 35, Number Official Publication of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates July 2007 Past President's Message Improving Urologic Nursing Care Around the World SUNA not only leads the United States in educating urology nurses and patients, we also lead the world. Other Jeffrey Albaugh urology nursing organizations across the world are looking to SUNA as a leader in partnering to work together to strive for excellence in urologic nursing care. After spending time with the leaders and members of the British Association of Urological Nurses and the Australian Urological Nurses Society these past few months, it is clear we all face the same challenges of providing our patients with access to the highest quality urologic nursing care. If you think that socialized medicine resolves all the problems of access to care for patients, unfortunately you are mistaken. In general, the health care system has difficulty accommodating the huge volume of urology patients in a timely manner. Therefore, nurses are being challenged to step up to the plate to run the medical aspects of urology clinics, freeing up the physicians to accommodate the large volume of surgical patients. Nurses can provide costeffective evaluation and management of many of the urologic problems encountered by patients, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and bladder cancer. One challenge each of us is facing with advanced practice nurses is defining the scope of practice and developing clinical guidelines for advanced practice nursing care to ensure the highest quality, safest care. It is an exciting time to be a SUNA SUNA Past President Jeffrey Albaugh (right) meets with Gordon Frith, member as we strive together with our international president of the Australian Urological Nurses Association. This is just one of many recent international networking opportunities for SUNA. partners to network and develop ways to improve urologic nursing care! This year at SUNA s Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ, we will welcome international guests with whom we will continue to collaborate and network to improve nursing care globally. SUNA is working along with other urology nurs- continued on page 2 Mark Your Calendar! October 12-16, 2007 SUNA s Annual Conference Hyatt Regency Phoenix, AZ November 1-7, 2007 Urology Nurses and Associates Week February 28-March 2, 2008 The Annual Symposium Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel Tampa, Florida In this issue 3 Member Recruitment Results 4 38th Annual Conference Information 6 Regional News 11 Member Spotlight 12 Special Interest Group News 13 SUNA History & Heritage 14 Cysto Room Survival Manual Order Form 15 The Path to Certification Web site:

2 Uro-Gram July 2007 It is kind of ironic that I am writing this while sitting in the San Francisco airport waiting for a flight to Sydney, Australia, and Jeff s lead article pertains to SUNA s relationship with the Australian Urological Nurses Society. I guess it just proves what a small planet we are living on these days. We hop on planes to fly all over the world with hardly a thought. Health care is universal, and the problems and Evey Kliever situations we run across as urology professionals are universal as well. It is wonderful that we can network and problem-solve with not only colleagues from around the United States and Canada, but now Britain and Australia as well. As time goes on, this network will surely grow. As I travel off to Sydney with my daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter, I wish you a wonderful and enjoyable summer. Evey Kliever, MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURN Uro-Gram Editor eveyk@chartermi.net Past President s Message continued from page 1 ing organization leaders to determine ways in which we can collaborate on a global level to resolve urologic nursing issues. Urology Nurses & Associates Week In this edition of the Uro- Gram you will find a poster you can display in your office to highlight Urology Nurses and Associates Week, which will be celebrated November 1-7. Urology nurses and associates deserve the highest recognition for their incredible work on behalf of the millions of urology patients around the world. This special week November 1-7 will be celebrated annually! Congratulations and happy Urology Nurses and Associates Week! Jeffrey Albaugh, PhD(c), APRN, CUCNS SUNA Immediate Past President SUNA Board of Directors President Saundra Seidel, APRN-BC, CUCNS, CNOR President-Elect Tamara Dickinson, RN, CURN, CCCN, BCIA-PMDB Immediate Past President Jeffrey Albaugh, MS, APRN-BC, CUCNS Treasurer Susan Lipsy, MS, RN, CUNP Secretary Barbara Broome, PhD, RN, CNS Northeast Regional Director Valre Welch, MSN, CPNP Southeast Regional Director Debbie Hensley, BSN, RN North Central Regional Director Mary Anne Wasner, RN, CURN Western Regional Director Donna Clar, MSN, MBA, RN, CRRN Uro-Gram Editor Evey Kliever, MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURN SUNA National Office Executive Director Anthony J. Jannetti Director, Association Services Cheryl Underhill Executive Secretary Pat Davey Uro-Gram Managing Editor Kathleen Thomas East Holly Avenue, Box 56 Pitman, NJ TAP-SUNA / fax: Web site: suna@ajj.com 2

3 July 2007 Uro-Gram We re Everything We Say We Are Because of You Membership Campaign Level One Diane Anderson Beverley Baerg Raquel Bauri Allison Ahrens Beaver Eleanor Belski Renee Benoit Debra Bishwaty Mary Gail Blasier Mary Jo Bosworth Donna Brassil Betty Brown Debbie Brown Lorri Brown Frances Bryant Congratulations to the following recruiters. Keep up the good work! Debra Buback Kathy Burba Carol Burian Lee Burk Shawna Burke Rene Busby Connie Buynar Alice Campanelli Jennifer Lynn Cera Geralyn Chiasson John Chudik Donna Clar Diane Clowers Jeanne Ann Dahl Denise D Andrea Linda Davis Robin Demboski Mary Anne Douglas Amy Driscoll Stephanie Edwards Michelle Fibich Frances Foley Rachel Franz Donna Gallagher Kelly Gollar Aubrey Griffin Jan Gross Michelle Hallman Kelley Hamill-Lemay Debbie Hensley Michelle Hribar Charles Ihle Gina Jackson Janice Johnson Grace Jones Kimberley Jones Laurie Jones Mary Klem Kris Langkammer Cheryl LeCroy Julie Lemberger Dona Line Suzanne Linton Christine Llewellyn Diane Mann Laura Maw Silvia Maxwell Jeannine McCormick Julie Medrano Todd Morningstar Melissa Morrison Anna Moss Colleen Oakes Carol Olsen Roger Ordal Carla Ortigo Danella Parkes Diane Peasley Kaylyn Petzel Katherine Ponce Susan Porcuna Jody Purifoy Mindy Rathe-Hart Mary Roche Margaret Sanford Karen Sasso Valerie Schissler Donna Schmidt Sherri Schroeder Mary Beth Schulte Ruth Shields Christine Shimko Diane Smith Nancy Spector Suzann St. Marie Helene Stant Irene Stazzone Sharon Strom Teresa Sturnfield Carralee Sueppel Shawn Turner Faye Tuttle Olga Upton Marissa I Villarreal Cynthia Walker Karen Wall Joyce Wallace Mary Anne Wasner Valre Welch Linda Williams Kelly Wilson Jean Wyman Sue Yoon Level Two Malinda Whitfield Level Three Linda Adams Janice Jensen Gina Gerberding Powley Membership Campaign Awards & Benefits Level One (total value $10) Recruit one or more new members and receive: A SUNA pin A personal letter from the President of SUNA Personal recognition in Uro-Gram and on the SUNA Web site Recognition at a plenary session of the SUNA Annual Conference along with a special ribbon Level Two (total value $70) Recruit 5 or more new members and receive: All Level One awards One year free SUNA membership Level Three (total approximate value $465) Recruit 10 or more new members and receive: All Level Two awards Free registration SUNA Annual Conference or Annual Symposium Level Four (total approximate value $965) Recruit 20 or more new members and receive: All Level Three awards $500 for expenses For more information, visit the SUNA Web site at 3

4 Exciting Program Planned for 2007 Annual Conference SUNA s 38th Annual Conference Grand Adventures Await You at SUNA will be held October 12-16, 2007, at the Hyatt Regency in Phoenix, AZ. Once again this year s conference will provide many great opportunities to network and learn about new and exciting developments that will improve the treatment and the lives of our patients. Keynote Speaker Promises to Inspire as he shares his personal experience with overcoming adversity Top on the list of conference activities you won t want to miss is the inspiring presentation on Overcoming Adversity by keynote speaker Jesse Billauer. With his dedication and love for life, Jesse who suffered paralysis during a surfing accident over 10 years ago will inspire you to look at your life in a more thoughtful and thankful way. You will come away from this session more prepared to face the challenges in your personal and professional lives and ready to assist your patients as they deal with their own adversity. Jesse was born on February 24, 1979, in Culver City, CA. As a youth, he was a star athlete. He began surfing at the age of 9 and by age 11, he was surfing competitively. As his renown grew, Jesse was featured in magazines, such as Jesse Billauer Surfer, Surfing, Transworld, Wave Action, and others. With surfboard, apparel, and sunglass sponsors, Jesse went international. He was surfing and competing in Hawaii, Tahiti, Indonesia, Mexico, and Costa Rica. By the mid-90s, Surfer magazine had named him one of the Top 100 up-and-coming surfers of the world. Driving to school on an October morning in 1995, Jesse s SUV was broadsided by another vehicle. The impact caused his car to roll and threw him from his car via the closed driver s side window. He was transported by ambulance to the Santa Monica Hospital emergency room, where his first words were, Please don t let me be paralyzed. I would rather be dead. Jesse was lucky, and after several months passed he recovered from serious whiplash and a torn ligament in his right thumb. He was able to resume competitive surfing, and in March 1996 was rated number one among Juniors in the Pacific Surf Series. The rating attracted new sponsors. Negotiations were underway to put Jesse on the Pro Tour, a lifelong dream. The fateful morning of March 25, 1996, put an end to that dream. While surfing, Jesse was hit by the crest of a wave and flew headfirst into a shallow sandbar. He suffered a complete spinal cord injury and was left with no sensation or movement below mid-chest and limited use of his arms and hands. As Jesse recovered in the intensive care unit and rehab hospital, he contemplated the drastic change in his life. He felt that he had been extremely fortunate in the first 17 years of his life, and he realized that, even now, he was more fortunate than many others. It was not until June 1996, that Jesse was able to return home to his room, his bed, and the comfort of his own home. Since Jesse s life-changing accident he has created Life Rolls On, a non-profit 501(c)3 Foundation dedicated to increasing awareness about spinal cord injuries. Jesse will challenge you to re-examine your life as well as your personal and professional priorities. He will inspire you to be a more compassionate caregiver as you care for patients facing adversity. Don t miss this special presentation! 4

5 Educational Sessions Address Hot Topics in the Specialty If you need more reasons to attend SUNA s 38th Annual Conference, here s a sample of the educational programming that awaits you. The sessions are sure to enhance your practice and provide you with new, evidence-based information all presented by authorities in our practice! General session topics include: The Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and Comorbid Conditions Nursing in the United Kingdom Understanding the Law, Managing the Risks Pharmacology HIV: The Newest Chronic Disease Female Sexual Dysfunction These issues are so important to the practices of urologic nurses and associates that they have been placed in the program agenda at times where all meeting participants could attend. As you can also see from this list, the topics cover a wide range of urologic practice issues and are hot topics. Concurrent sessions will address professional growth as well as general and more focused clinical topics. Examples include sessions on Prostatectomies: Open to Robotic; Treatment of Overactive Bladder; Pediatric Urologic Conditions; Hands-On Use of Endoscopic Urology Instrumentation; Sacral Nerve Stimulation; Hospice, Palliative Care, End of Life Care; Needle Ablation Techniques; Urodynamics; Quality of Life issues for the Radical Prostatectomy Patient; and more. You may find it difficult to choose which session to attend! The information presented in all of these sessions will be fantastic. Registration Information Now Available Registration brochures were mailed to all SUNA members in June. Online registration is available on the SUNA Web site at Register by September 7 to take advantage of reduced registration fees. Come and learn, network with colleagues on the challenges and joys of caregiving, and return to your workplace energized and renewed! SUNA Foundation to Hold Fundraiser at Annual Conference SUNA has undertaken the challenge to provide urologic nursing another avenue for education. SUNA has created the SUNA Foundation for this purpose. As a way to introduce the SUNA Foundation, the Board of Trustees will be hosting a Silent Auction fundraiser at the Annual Conference in Phoenix in October. There will be items to entice everyone, including food, jewelry, books, gift baskets, and more. It might even be an opportune time to shop for Christmas gifts. The exact date and time will be published in the conference program. We are looking forward to participation by everyone at the Annual Conference. If you have an item you would like to donate, let us know. Please help us make this a successful fundraiser. Since October 2006, the appointed Board of Trustees has been busy with the nuts & bolts of creating the Foundation. The bylaws have been completed, a logo has been selected, and a search for trustees outside of the SUNA membership is ongoing at this time. Carolina Facciani of AstraTech has joined the Board of Trustees and is a most welcome addition. The trustees are dedicated to the success of the SUNA Foundation s mission to improve urologic nursing care and the lives of people with urologic health issues through funding of urologic nursing research, scholarships, and educational programs and materials. Ardeth Hale, CURN (Ret) Chairperson, Board of Trustees SUNA Foundation Want to Be Stimulated? Head to the SUNA Annual Conference in Phoenix in October for the first ever Sacral Nerve Stimulation Preconference Workshop entitled Taking Sacral Nerve Stimulation to the Next Level. The workshop was designed for all of you who work with this therapy and want to improve your skills to achieve optimal outcomes for your patients. The course date is October 12, 2007, and enrollment is limited, so watch for early registration. If you have any questions, please contact Cheryl Underhill at the SUNA office or Cindy Dobmeyer-Dittrich at cd2rn@aol.com. 5

6 Uro-Gram July 2007 Regional News North Central Summer is in the air! I hope you are enjoying time with family and friends at backyard barbecues, picnics, family reunions, and vacations. This is a great time to take some time off to recharge for an exciting fall season. Several chapters have outstanding fall seminars and community events planned for the North Central Region. President Gina Gerberding Powley states that the Mary Anne Wasner Mississippi Valley Chapter finished off the spring with a dinner presentation on Sexual Dysfunction in May. Chapter members are taking the summer months off to relax with family and rejuvenate for a kick-off meeting in August when elections will be held. The positions of secretary (2-year term) and president-elect are open. Anyone interested in getting more involved and running for these positions is encouraged to contact Gina Powley at ginanbutch@msn.com. Thank you to all chapter members for your hard work to strengthen the chapter with community service projects and recruitment of new members. Without you, there would be no chapter. Upper Midwest Chapter (UMC) President Diane Mann shares the following information about her chapter. On April 20 the chapter enjoyed a dinner presentation by Christina Clifford Beckwith on Laughter: It s Good Medicine. This presentation and dinner was sponsored by Tap Pharmaceuticals. Christina is a 52-year-old cancer survivor who shared her story of fear, uncertainty, hope, and love. She encourages laughter and positive thinking for a healthy life. The chapter s spring seminar, Kicking Up the Quality of Life, was held April 21 in Rochester. The seminar included presentations on the treatment for female sexual dysfunction, artificial genitourinary sphincter placement, penile implants, etiology and treatment of Peyronie s disease, diagnosis and treatment of urachal carcinoma, and a combination talk on Attitudes of Gratitude and Lighten Your Heart with Laughter. This seminar was well attended with many positive comments from participants. The chapter also was very excited to have North Central Regional Director Mary Anne Wasner in attendance. Pfizer pharmacist Kevin Odell presented The Health Upper Midwest Chapter President-Elect Shirley Peter presents Theresa Kolle, RN, with the Upper Midwest member involvement award for outstanding and dedicated service to the chapter. Status of Older Adults at Victoria s restaurant in Rochester on May 17. He gave a very interesting talk on the impact of age on disease prevalence and management and the impact on undiagnosed disease and functional capacity. Congratulations to UMC Web site editor, Kiki Rogers, who recently graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in business administration and health care management. UMC member Jean Lewis was asked by SUNA President Saundra Seidel to chair an educational assessment task force. The charge of this task force is to conduct an educational assessment of all SUNA s educational offerings and then evaluate their current needs. UMC is currently working with others in proposing legislation in the state of Minnesota for free prostate cancer screening for men over 50 and for men in their 40s with a strong family history of prostate cancer who otherwise could not afford it. For more information about this busy chapter, visit the chapter s Web site at Great Lakes Chapter (GLSUNA) President Susanne Quallich announces that the conference planning committee has set the date for the 2008 GLSUNA Spring Conference. Save the date! The conference will be held March 14 at the Sheraton Detroit Novi. For more information about this chapter, visit their Web site at Kansas City Chapter President Janey Rouse and President-Elect Beatrice Stuck announce that the 33rd Annual Seminar will be held on September 28. Watch for more details. Sue Velasco, president of the Southeast Nebraska Chapter, announces that the next chapter meeting will be held on September 18 in Omaha, NE. Watch for details. Kathy Marchese, president of the Chicago Metro Chapter, shares the following information. The chapter has been busy during the first half of The newest challenge for 2007 is to enhance their presence in the 6

7 July 2007 Ginger Lewis and Katy Bortel of the Chicago Metro Chapter promote nursing research and community involvement. community. Community events since January have been significant. They have collected outdated cell phones that are re-programmed and given to a women s shelter. These phones allow the women to call 911 if they are in an emergency situation. The chapter has participated in food and clothing drives, made Mother s Day spa gift baskets for women in a shelter, and provided financial support for a member who spent a week rebuilding homes damaged in Hurricane Katrina. They also have participated in prostate screening events and various health fairs. During one event Olive Adriano and Mary Anne Wasner along with the National Prostate Cancer Coalition organized a screening that offered free PSA and DRE to 380 participants. Needless to say, our volunteers suffered from sore feet and exhaustion that day. The chapter organized a task force to sponsor their first annual Bladder Health Initiative to be held in November at a local community center. Lectures, patient information, and free goodies hopefully will attract community members to learn more about maintaining a healthy bladder. At the chapter s recent annual all-day conference in Oak Brook, IL, members distributed for the first time their Evidence-Based Program for Assessing and Managing Incontinence in the Acute Setting. Participants at the conference were given a CD-ROM that contained a lecture on incontinence, a poster board presentation that could be used as an educational tool in clinics and hospital units, and a detailed outline on how to implement this information into their area. The chapter s monthly educational meetings continue, offering an opportunity to learn and network with others in the specialty. Chapter member Jeffrey Albaugh returned from Australia where he was a keynote speaker at the annual event for the Australian Urological Nurses Society. Our first chapter president Vic Senese continues to awe us with his computer knowledge and is currently working on our Web page as well as the national SUNA Web site. He also has put together a task force to update the fact sheets for the SUNA Web site. The unique skills of each Chicago Metro Chapter member help the chapter to continue to grow and Uro-Gram become the best that they can be. Learn more about the chapter at their Web site Mary Anne Wasner, RN, CURN North Central Regional Director wasnerm@aol.com Western Welcome to the warm summer months! After a busy spring I hope all members are finding a little time to relax and enjoy your families. As always at this time of year, some of the Western chapters have completed plans for the spring and are taking a little time off for the summer. Others continue with their efforts as, depending on the chapter, there is always something in the works. Donna Clar Cindie Neufeld, president of the Yakima Valley Chapter, reports that the chapter had a very busy spring. They held Urology Potpourri on March 24 with 39 attendees. Thanks to the hard work of the planning committee and the support of many sponsors, the event was a success. It was a very informative and fun day for all who attended. I had the pleasure of attending this event and would like to acknowledge the planning committee members: Cindie Neufeld, Trish Bowman, Bev Davidson, Helen Jensen, Susan Kelley, Sarah Lanfear, Julie Medrano, and Pam Byam. They did a wonderful job putting together this event. Exhibitors included Tap Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Coloplast, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanctura, and Watson. We can t thank our pharmaceutical/industry supporters enough for all they do to make our events successful. The Southern California Chapter is pleased to announce that Julie Limfueco has accepted the position of chapter president. I look forward to working with her in the upcoming years and appreciate all she has done already this year. Julie has these words to share: Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak about some up and coming events and to also introduce myself. My name is Julie Limfueco, RN, and I am your new Southern California President. Currently, I am the Administrative Nurse Manager for the UC Irvine Center for Urological Care and the Physicians Surgical Practice. I oversee all operational functions of our Ambulatory Physicians Private Practice, which incorporates outpatient visits as well as very sophisticated urologic procedures in our state-of-the-art facility. I have been in urology for 3 years and have enjoyed the new urologic world. I work with world-renowned physicians and help run their practices. For the first time in history at UC Irvine we hosted a SUNA-supported Nursing Urologic Course on May 18. UC Irvine is strategically close to the Anaheim Convention Center where the American Urological Association (AUA) meeting was held this year. Donna 7

8 Uro-Gram July 2007 Clar and I are planning events for Southern California this year and are teaming up to create and prepare more urology events for our chapter. I am very excited to work with Donna to represent SUNA and be a contact person for Southern California members. Again, thank you for this opportunity. I look forward to hearing from our members. The chapter also enjoyed a dinner program in June sponsored by Bayer Pharmaceuticals with representative Kimi Atchason. The featured topic was Interstitial Cystitis with inspirational guest speaker Terry-Jo Myers. This event included a business meeting as part of the agenda, and new officers were selected to assist Julie. For more information or to offer your assistance, Julie can be reached at (office), (cell), or jlimfuec@uci.edu. Hey Montana Chapter members! There are not a lot of you out there, but both your president, Debbie Johnson, and I are here for you and ready to address any of your SUNA needs or questions. Debbie is awesome and wants to hold your chapter together despite the mileage. Please contact her if you have any questions or thoughts about how you would like SUNA to assist you. While the summer may be quiet as with many of our chapters, Debbie continues to brainstorm ideas in order to promote SUNA activities in the chapter. The Portland Chapter held a spring meeting under the guidance of President Lane Biag along with planning committee members Renee, Debra, Beverly, and Mattie. Forty attendees enjoyed the following topics and speakers: Urology Trauma Case Studies (Jerry Giesy, MD), Female Sexual Dysfunction (Nina Davis, MD), Female Hormone Replacement (Laurie Marzell, MD), Overactive Bladder and the InterStim Device (Becky Swick, RN), and Prostate Cancer Overview and Prostate Cryoablation (Donna Clar, RN). The planning committee provided plenty of time for networking. Sponsors of the event included Astellas Pharma US, Inc., (VESIcare), Esprit Pharma (Sanctura), Medtronics (InterStim), and Solvay Pharmaceuticals (AndroGel, Estratest, and Prometrium). Flowers, baskets, and candies were raffle items in honor of Nurses Week. Members of the Portland Chapter and perhaps the Yakima Chapter who live in or near Seattle have been working to form a Seattle Chapter under the guidance of Jean Dearn. They have held planning meetings and several educational offerings in the Seattle area while they work on the paperwork to gain Probationary Status as a new chapter. Jean shares the following information about this forming chapter. Interest in a Seattle Chapter is growing! We are actively recruiting people by word of mouth and via the Uro-Gram. On March 27 Dr. Thomas Lendvay of Children s Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle spoke to SUNA members on Telemedicine: A New Way to Teach and Treat. He shared his knowledge and expertise in the DaVinci system, informing attendees of the current trends in urologic robotic surgery along with the future of telemedicine. Another meeting was held May 19 on Sexual and Pelvic Health. This 4-hour session included four speakers. New chapter status will be applied for this summer as interest is strong and there are many motivated members/attendees! We continue to request participation from members to help develop this chapter to hopefully receive Chapter of the Year some year soon! President Linda Sabre continues to work with members of the Arizona Chapter to plan what will be a fabulous Western Section AUA/SUNA meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, in October. She and her planning committee are working on speakers and sponsors and all the paperwork that comes with providing CE credits for participants. She has double duty this year as this chapter also will be hosting SUNA s Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ. President Edith Acey and the Utah Chapter wrapped up their every-other-month educational offerings for the summer to give members time to enjoy the summer months. Industry support was once again well provided this year and is always appreciated. New leadership is being sought for this chapter, so if you are interested in becoming more involved in SUNA and the great offerings this chapter is able to provide, please contact either Edith or myself. The Northern California Chapter continues to provide exceptional educational offerings through the hard work of Co-Presidents Jan Jensen and Linda Adams. Jan shared the following information about their recent efforts. On April 21 the chapter held its Second Annual urodynamics Day Conference. The location in the Napa Valley wine country at the Silverado Resort was a lure; the setting, food, and facilities were spectacular. Beyond that was the importance, desire, and need for a quality urodynamics event. Co-planners Linda Adams and Jan Jensen had an all-star line up of presenters. SUNA s Judith Veit, CURN, admirably covered the elements required for a sound urodynamics study. Physical therapists Denise Alberto and Laura Fraser refreshed participants knowledge of pelvic floor anatomy and, with props, had them experience kegels from a patient s point of view. Again this year, Stanford urologists William Kennedy, Christopher Payne, and Rodney Anderson were the ultimate physician speakers. Dr. Kennedy presented amazing pediatric cases. He highlighted considerations particular to the pediatric populations as well as qualities practitioners require in order to successfully treat children. Dr. Payne s presentation of urodynamic case studies was thorough and informative. One participant commented that he made a very confusing, complicated, intimidating subject understandable! The review of tracings and discussion of results were appreciated. And who best to demystify the mysteries of the lower urinary tract but Dr. Anderson! His lecture on neurophysiology coupled with normal and pathologic urodynamic tracings clarified the subject for many. Dr. Sakti Das, AUA Historian, rounded out the program with his presentation A UroDYNAMICs History. Dr. Das is always well received as a speaker and supporter of SUNA events, having been evaluated as informative, wellresearched, humorous, refreshing, knowledgeable, and enchanting. With industry support and the quality of the speakers, Linda and Jan knew the conference would be a 8

9 July 2007 success, yet they remain somewhat dazed by the extent of that success. With representatives, speakers, and participants, there were 80 in attendance, including 25 new SUNA members. Nice going Northern California Chapter! For photos and more information, visit and enjoy the chapter s new Web site at A lot of work, a lot of fun, a lot of information! If you are not yet involved in your local chapter but would like to be, contact your chapter president myself. Have a wonderful summer! Donna Clar, MSN/MBA, RN, CRRN Western Regional Director rpclars@aol.com donna.clar@va.gov Northeast This is the time of year when chapter members are busy planning for summer vacations, getting children ready for summer camp, and congratulating all the new high school and college graduates they know and love. This has been a difficult time for many in Virginia and around the country who are still grieving and trying to understand the unimaginable tragedy that Valre Welch occurred at Virginia Tech University. Many have children at Tech or know families and friends who have children who attend Virginia Tech. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those who were personally involved in that tragedy and who lost a child or a family member or a friend. Amy LoPresti, president of the Syracuse Chapter, reports that they had several educational sessions and dinners addressing a variety of topics, including Identifying and Managing Men with an Enlarged Prostate by Dr. Gregory Oleyourryk, Treatment of Overactive Bladder by Dr. Joel Bass, and an interactive DVD program called Side by Side designed for health care professionals working with prostate cancer patients. That really sounded like one they might share with other chapters. Currently the chapter is busy working with the chapter in Rochester to organize and implement the upcoming meeting scheduled for September in Rochester, NY, in conjunction with the Northeast Section of the AUA. We look forward to more details about this meeting. We certainly appreciate all of the hard work that goes into putting together that conference. The Twin City Chapter under the direction of President Kelley Hamill-Lemay continued a series of lectures on Urology Throughout the Lifespan with a presentation on robotic surgery and the application to urologic care. This third lecture was given by Dr. John Munoz. The chapter is starting to look for candidates for chapter officers. They will be holding elections at the end of the year. Chapters truly need the support of all their members to achieve their goals, so please consider Uro-Gram running for office. The chapter also enjoyed a review of the presentations from the Annual Symposium at a recent meeting. The Central New York Chapter reports that they were so thrilled to see their article in Urologic Nursing. They are hard at work writing another case study for publication. Congratulations! President Maureen Kiernan and her chapter are also working closely with the Syracuse Chapter, making preparations for the September meeting with the Northeast AUA section. They have taken on the task of gathering the information and applying for the contact hours for that meeting. That is certainly an important and necessary contribution. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter is hard at work planning a Saturday morning teaching day for this fall. We are pleased to announce that President Jeff Guse was recently appointed to the position of Assistant Regional Director for the Northeast Region. Congratulations to Jeff. I am definitely looking forward to working with him. I know he will bring some innovative ideas to the position. Cheryl Le Croy, president of the Central Virginia Chapter, and her chapter members continue to be very active with monthly educational meetings. They have had three dinner meetings with lectures on Testicular Disorders, Female Sexuality, and the 3 Ps Peyronie s, Priapism, and Prostatitis. They always have a good turnout with members in attendance. They are continuing to support the Virginia Foodbank with contributions made at each of their meetings. The chapter is currently in the planning stages for an all-day educational seminar in September. The conference will focus on Prostate Cancer and Urologic Medications. Joan Colella and the Northern New Jersey Chapter deserve a big round of applause for the excellent job they did on the Certification Review Course held on April 28. They had 65 attendees and at least 10 attendees who took the certification exam the next day. It is very rare for a chapter to take on this type of endeavor and they did an outstanding job. Fran Staub, RN, took the exam and passed. Congratulations to Fran! She also deserves another congratulations as she is taking over as the new chapter president when Joan steps down in June. Joan Colella, RN, APRN-BC, NP-C, presented at the Radiation Oncology Therapist Conference on May 19. Her topic was Prostate and Penile Cancer. She also was the co-author of a poster presentation entitled Evidence-Based Practice: The Quest for Knowledge in the Design of Patient Centered Care, which was presented at the American Organization of Nurse Executives meeting in Princeton, NJ, on June 22. Joan also was co-author of another poster presentation, Prospective Study of Quality of Life of Patients Receiving Treatment for Prostate Cancer: 6 and 12 Month Outcomes, which was presented at the American Psychosocial Oncology Society meeting in Austin, TX, in March. Joan is one very busy SUNA member! Jane Berlew and the New England Chapter are planning for an all-day seminar for next Spring. Let s see how many members can participate in this conference to make it as successful as the one they had in March. It 9

10 Uro-Gram July 2007 is wonderful to see chapter members working together on a common project to help build chapter unity and camaraderie. Valre Welch, MSN, RN, CPNP Northeast Regional Director vswelch@hughes.net Southeast Summertime is a reminder of picnics, walks on the beach, amusement parks, summer camp, vacations (a must), and leisure time! Summer also can be a time to reflect upon what we have accomplished so far and what we still need to do during the next half of the year such as planning some SUNA fall activities! For local chapter events, contact your chapter president to find out what Debbie Hensley events are scheduled in your area. Here are some fall activities being planned now. Fran Bryant, president of the Research Triangle Chapter, reports that they are planning their fall seminar to be held in Greensboro, NC, on September 22. They have teamed up with Research Triangle SUNA members at Wesley Long Hospital. Look for brochures to be mailed out in early August. In addition an agenda will be posted on the SUNA Web site. If you would like more information regarding this chapter, contact Fran with any questions or suggestions ( , bfbryant52@hotmail.com). The Magnolia Chapter under the leadership of Rachel Franz reports that chapter officers recently held a chapter educational committee planning meeting. They welcomed two new members: Lori Ramsey, LPN, and Tammy Sill, RN. Their fall meeting is set for October 27 and will be held at the Brent House Conference Center at Ochsner. Mark your calendar and stay tuned for more details! If you would like more information regarding the chapter, contact Rachel at rfranz@ochsner.org Greater Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter President Allison Ahrens Beaver reports that the chapter held its spring meeting on April 28 with 33 in attendance. Dr. Carrington Mason shared his laparoscopic prostatectomy experience as the patient on the other side of the scalpel: Prostate Cancer: My Perspective as a Surgeon and a Patient. The chapter s Fourth Annual Urology Symposium is planned for November 3 at Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX. This will be an all-day symposium featuring a variety of topics. Watch for more details, or contact Allison at allison.beaver@utsouthwestern.edu. Cindy McLean, president of the Florida Sunshine Chapter, reports that they are planning for an all-day fall seminar to be held in October. Stay tuned for the date and location. If you would like to get involved or want more information about this chapter, contact Cindy at cmclean456@comcast.net. The Central Florida Chapter, under the leadership of Dee Parkes, held their first annual conference on April 21. Forty-four attendees from Orlando and the surrounding areas attended this event. Topics were varied and included SUI and pelvic floor prolapse, prostate cancer and robotic prostatectomy, interstitial cystitis, erectile dysfunction, overactive bladder in the elderly, and a urology mission trip to Peru. The chapter received support from 13 vendors, who helped make their conference a quality event! Dee reports that they are already busy planning next year s spring conference. Congratulations, Dee, to you and your chapter on a successful conference! If you would like more information about this chapter, contact Dee at dparkes@cfl.rr.com. With the industry support of Coloplast, the Alamo Chapter held a dinner program at Sushi Hana on May 29 offering 1.2 contact hours. The program was conducted via Webcast by Diane Newman, MSN, RNC, CRNP, FAAN, and the topic was Overview of Urinary Tract Infections in Relation to Intermittent Catheterization. The chapter is already making plans for next year s annual conference. If you would like to get involved or want more information regarding this chapter, contact President Myra Gonzales at gonzalesm3@uthscsa.edu. SUNA s Annual Conference will be held October in Phoenix, AZ, and promises to be another educational and fun event. Go to the SUNA Web site ( for more information. I hope you enjoy some leisure time this summer, and let us all be more diligent regarding our membership and commitment to this great organization. Leisure is Time for doing something useful: this Leisure the diligent Man will obtain but the lazy Man never. ~ Benjamin Franklin ~ Debbie Hensley, RN Southeast Regional Director hensleyd@uthscsa.edu Research Grants Available SUNA is pleased to announce the ongoing availability of grants for clinical research proposals with applicability to urologic nursing practice. Two types of non-dissertation awards are available: (1) The Young Investigator Research Program is designed for new researchers. Awards of up to $40,000 are available. Details are available on SUNA s Web site ( click Resources) or by contacting suna@ajj.com. (2) The Established Investigator Research Program is directed at experienced researchers with the same focus on clinical urologic nursing. Contact suna@ajj.com for further details. Successful applicants will be honored at future SUNA national meetings where they will present their study findings. 10

11 July 2007 Member Spotlight This column was created to recognize behind-thescenes members of SUNA who contribute to the organization and urologic nursing at the grassroots level. If you know of a member whose service to SUNA deserves recognition and would like to highlight his/her contributions in this column, please contact Uro-Gram Editor Evey Kliever (eveyk@chartermi.net). I love my duties as Western Regional Director! I am so proud of all of my chapter presidents and their members who make educational offerings come to fruition. I am always thrilled to see all that they do, and they have done so much. But to have a new member want to start a new chapter is the icing on the cake. Everyone dedicated to SUNA should be recognized if only we had the time. For this article, I want to introduce you to a power ball from Seattle Jean Dearn, BSN, RN, CURN. Jean has taken SUNA to heart and just has not stopped her efforts, nor do I see them diminishing anytime soon. Please read Jean s story of how she became involved with SUNA Jean Dearn and her plans for the future of the soon-to-be Seattle Chapter. In September 2005 Jean traveled to the Chicago Metro Chapter s Certification Review Course to help her in her pursuit of certification in urology. Practicing as a pediatric urology program nurse for 5 years, she felt that she was ready to obtain her certification. The efforts of the Chicago Chapter impressed her so much, especially by helping her understand everything she needed to know about adult urology (in order to pass the exam) in one weekend! Jean was very impressed by their friendship, professionalism, and passion for urology. In August 2006, with CURN proudly behind her name, Jean decided to inquire about starting a Seattle Chapter. Her efforts have been rewarded! The Seattle Chapter awaits probation status but since the initial Meet and Greet meeting in November 2006, the group has held three meetings with educational sessions. The meetings have been held every other month. The first lecture focused on bladder cancer, the second reviewed the present and future uses of robotics and telemedicine, and a meeting in May featured four speakers discussing sexual and pelvic health. Jean s goal for this chapter is to unite professionals specializing in urology and to enhance their practices by sharing knowledge with each other. She plans on applying for CE credits for each meeting. She hopes to organize a community outreach day reviewing both pediatric and adult urology health. Jean also would like to hold workshops that review urology specific skills such as urodynamics, biofeedback, bladder health, and so on. She hopes to maintain the current momentum of the chapter and maybe one day be rewarded with the Chapter of the Year Award. Jean has other urology interests as well. She has been on two pediatric missions with International Volunteers in Urology and is scheduled for a third mission to Mozambique in the Fall. She was instrumental in designing the urodynamics subspecialty clinic at her office. Jean is recently married and enjoys traveling in the U.S. and abroad, knitting, bird watching, cycling, flyfishing, and keeping fit and active. This is SUNA personal, professional, active, friendly! It is my pleasure to place the spotlight on SUNA member Jean Dearn. Donna Clar, MSN/MBA, RN, CRRN SUNA Western Regional Director Calendar of Events continued from page 14 Uro-Gram What s On YOUR Attendance Record? A CE Reminder from the Approver Unit As planning committee chairpersons submit post-program materials to the national office, we are finding a need to include the following reminder about ANCC criteria that must be followed: 1. The attendance roster must include the participant s name, address, and number of contact hours awarded. The number of contact hours can be included in the roster heading if all participants receive the same number of contact hours. 2. The roster that is submitted with the application should be the roster that is completed and sent to the national office after the program. The form from the SUNA Web site complies with ANCC requirements but chapters may use their own design as long as it meets ANCC criteria. For questions regarding the submission of post-activity documents, please contact the national office at TAP-SUNA. Deni von Merveldt, MSN, RN Approver Unit Chairperson October 27-28, 2007 Beyond Nuts and Bolts, Level II for the Advanced Clinician in Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. Location: Crystal City, VA. Contact: Carralee Sueppel, carraleesueppel@uiowa.edu or

12 Uro-Gram July 2007 Special Interest Groups Cysto / OR / ESWL Cysto Room Survival Manual: Guidelines for Urologic Endoscopy is in print and has been well received. I have heard from sales representatives who have ordered the book to better assist their new employees with understanding these procedures and where their products come into play. The book also comes with procedure cards, which are laminated, so that they can be brought into the operating room (OR) and used. I appreciate all the help from Sue Bowles, Marie Page, and Saundra Seidel who assisted with this project. I feel that we have a survival guide of which we can be proud. I have been receiving quite a few questions about nurses using a Coude Foley catheter when they are unable to insert the regular one. I would like to hear what other institutions do. I also was wondering if you have incorporated this information into your hospital s policy and procedures manual. We always have stated that you should follow your hospital s scope of practice. If you have done so, would you mind sending me your policy that states nurses are able to insert Coude Foley catheters. Some feel that this should be left to physicians only. I hope to hear from you regarding this matter. There is another question I would like to ask. One of our fellow SUNA members is looking for a company that has a dedicated urology bed for her cysto unit. I would like to hear from those who have a stationary bed. We d like to know what model you use and the pros and cons of the unit that you have chosen. As we all know these units are quite costly and if we can assist each other by sharing information, it would be most helpful. Start making your plans now for SUNA s Annual Conference in Phoenix in October. I look forward to seeing you all there. Thank you for all of your support. Fran Foley, BS, RN, CURN SIG Leader foleyfpf@yahoo.com Advanced Practice As a group we represent a small section of the advanced practice members of SUNA clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. We have agreed to have our addresses on a listing. When questions are posted to SUNA, these are then forwarded to each SIG leader. If the question pertains to our individual SIG, I distribute it to the group. Responses are then ed back. Some prefer to contact the individual with the question directly; some respond to me individually and I then forward it to the one with the question; and some respond to the entire group. We also use this forum as a think tank for our own purposes. Quite often questions come from within, which lead to an exchange of information and opinions. Unfortunately, there is no current method of archiving our responses for future reference. This is definitely a goal for the future. Here is an update regarding the discussions held via the Internet over the past 2 months. We have responded to inquiries regarding the following issues: Biofeedback questions were posted regarding available locations for pelvic floor training, reimbursement, and opinions on equipment. A mother presented her 9-year-old daughter who suffered from day-time incontinence and enuresis. She detailed the previous work ups and asked for any other options. The Lupron reimbursement has been a source of discussion, with practices wondering what alternatives other offices were incorporating with the significant reduction in reimbursement. A request was made regarding evidence-based studies in allowing a bladder to empty completely upon catheterization versus the practice of clamping after 1000cc drained. The biggest source of discussion centered around the issue of urodynamics. The question raised concerned whether performing and interpreting urodynamics was considered in our scope of practice. As I mentioned previously, we keep no records of these discussions. You must join us! Simply send me an identifying yourself, and I will be glad to add you to the list. Connie Whitesell, NP SIG Leader cwhitesell@ucurology.com Sacral Nerve Stimulation Participants at the SUNA Annual Symposium in Colorado Springs had three opportunities to learn more about sacral nerve stimulation (SNS). The first opportunity was at the SNS SIG meeting held the evening prior to the conference. At this meeting, members discussed a variety of practice issues related to this therapy and outlined criteria for the SUNA Sacral Nerve Stimulation Fact Sheet. After final review, the Fact Sheet should be available to members by mid July. During Saturday conference presentations, Michelle Lajiness presented on challenging patient programming for InterStim, while I presented on InterStim as one type of adjunct therapy for use with the interstitial cystitis patient. Both programs were well attended by clinicians involved with this therapy. The Sacral Nerve Stimulation SIG message board is still postponed. Some changes to the format are being made. We hope to have something available by the time of the SUNA Annual Conference in October. Sacral Nerve Stimulation SIG membership has grown to 213 members at this time. Based on member input, we are presenting our first preconference course at the SUNA Annual Conference in Phoenix, AZ. The pro- 12

13 July 2007 Uro-Gram gram entitled Taking Sacral Nerve Stimulation to the Next Level will be offered from 8 am to 1:30 pm on October 12. Following the program, there will be a networking luncheon for attendees. Enrollment will be limited to 30 participants to enhance the learning process regarding programming. Be sure to save the date now and watch for early enrollment! Cindy Dobmeyer-Dittrich, BSN, RN, CURN SIG Leader cd2rn@aol.com Inpatient / Outpatient We are continuing our work on the fact sheet(s) on Urinary Retention acute and chronic. We are addressing the following issues: Post void residuals what volume do you either instruct on clean intermittent catheterization or place an indwelling catheter? During bladder decompression at what volume do you clamp the catheter; is clamping the catheter required? How long is an indwelling catheter left in the bladder after an episode of either acute or chronic urinary retention? We have found much literature on urinary retention and only a little on the other topics. Our task force includes: Joan Gilianelli, Rita Yee, Beth Tummaro, Latsamy Hilliard, Janelle Harris, and Pam Ceo. If you are interested in joining the task force, please contact Janelle Harris (janelleharris@sbcglobal.net) or Pam Ceo (pvanover71@comcast.net). Pam Ceo, NP, MSN, CUNP pvanover71@comcast.net Inpatient SIG Leader Janelle Harris, NP, MSN, CUNP Outpatient SIG Leader janelleharris@sbcglobal.net History & Heritage SUNA s Specialty Workshops The organization s regional programming began with local chapters creating courses that fulfilled the needs of their members. The AUAA Council took these programs a step farther, providing them to a larger group with an expert faculty. Prior to the 1986 Annual Assembly regular program, a Basic Urology Course was presented and was well attended, indicating the need and desire for this type of program. The 1988 Annual Assembly and the 1989 Annual Assembly in Dallas included preconference workshops. In 1989 Basic Urology for Caregivers and A Comprehensive Review of Urologic Nursing were presented in St. Louis, MO. This was the first program separate from the Annual Assembly providing allied health professionals easier access to these educational benefits. The popular acceptance of this program convinced the AUAA Council to continue. The Comprehensive Review Course was presented November 1-2, 1991, in Seattle, WA, and the first Urodynamics Course was added. There were 100 registrants. In February 1992 these two programs were repeated in White Sulfur Springs, WV, with 91 attendees. Tampa, FL, was the site of the 1994 workshops. The Comprehensive Review Course drew 90 attendees, and the Urodynamics Course had 100. The format of the program was changed after the organization changed management firms. In 1995 the two courses were combined as the Fall Institute. The first Fall Institute was presented in Cleveland, OH. In 1996 the Fall Institute was held in St. Louis, MO, with 151 attendees and 6 exhibitors. Arlington, VA, was the site of the third Fall Institute in 1997 with 215 registrants. The fourth Fall Institute took place in October 1998 in Las Vegas, NV, with 166 allied health professionals in attendance. The 1999 Fall Institute was presented in Philadelphia to 111 registrants. San Diego was the site of the next Fall Institute in September 2000 with 164 attendees and 16 exhibitors. The seventh and final Fall Institute was held in Arlington, VA, in October 2001 with 133 allied health professionals. Changes took place in It was decided that the Urodynamics Course, the Certification Review Course, and the Basic Urology Course could be covered during the Annual Symposium and the Annual Conference. All-day workshops on certification review and basic urology were incorporated into preconference workshops. The Urodynamics Course, already included as a preconference workshop at the Annual Symposium, became a more advanced presentation. In 2003 the Basic Urodynamics Workshop and the Certification Review Workshop were offered as preconferences. In 2004 the Urodynamics Workshop was dropped and Advanced Practice was added to the Certification Review and Basic Urology workshops. In 2005 and 2006, three full-day workshops were presented. Over the years, a Chapter Leadership Workshop also has been offered prior to the Annual Conference. This program offers a full day of information and networking for those in chapter leadership positions. This workshop now occurs every other year as a way to encourage chapters to grow and provide future leadership for SUNA. SUNA has a rich history of offering exceptional educational opportunities and will continue to do so in the future. SUNA just keeps getting better! Ardeth Hale, CURN (Ret) History Committee Chairperson 13

14 Uro-Gram July 2007 NOW AVAILABLE Cysto Room Survival Manual SUNA has created this valuable resource for urologic nurses new to the cysto room (a dedicated operating room for cystoscopy, or bladder procedures). Edited by Marie Page, BSPA, RN, CURN, the Cysto Room Survival Manual: Guidelines for Urologic Endoscopy addresses common bladder procedures, care and sterilization of instruments, common abbreviations, urologic medications and solutions, handling specimens in the OR, and positioning patients under anesthesia. The manual details each procedure s purpose, the supplies and instruments needed, as well as any special notes about the procedure. The manual comes with nearly 30 laminated preference cards detailing the same information found in the text that nurses can use on the job. The Cysto Room Survival Manual is only available through SUNA. Order your copy today! Cysto Room Survival Manual: Guidelines for Urologic Endoscopy ORDER FORM Quantity Amount SUNA Member $45 $ Nonmember $55 $ SUNA ID# Total payment $ Prices include domestic postage and handling. Make checks payable to SUNA. International and Canada, please order online at Please allow 4 weeks for delivery. For 2nd day air, please add $8. PLEASE PRINT Name Address City State Zip Check one Check enclosed payable to SUNA VISA MasterCard Card # Exp. Date Signature Telephone ( ) Full payment must accompany all orders. Complete and place form in an envelope and mail to: SUNA National Office East Holly Avenue Box 56 Pitman, NJ Fax credit card orders only to Order online: SUNA ACTIVITIES October 12-16, 2007 SUNA s 38th Annual Conference: Grand Adventures Await You at SUNA. Location: Hyatt Regency, Phoenix, AZ. Contact: SUNA, East Holly Avenue Box 56, Pitman, NJ ; ; ; fax ; suna@ajj.com; February 28-March 2, 2008 The Annual Symposium. Location: Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel, Tampa, FL. Contact: SUNA, East Holly Avenue Box 56, Pitman, NJ ; ; ; fax ; suna@ajj.com; CHAPTER ACTIVITIES October 20, 2007 Mississippi Valley Urology Conference. Sponsor: Mississippi Valley Chapter. Location: Cedar Rapids, IA. Contact: Carralee Sueppel, carralee-sueppel@uiowa.edu or OTHER ACTIVITIES Calendar of Events September 15-16, 2007 Clinical Urodynamic Workshop. Sponsor: Life-Tech, Inc. Location: Houston, TX. Contact: Clinical Workshops, Life-Tech, Inc., 4235 Greenbriar Drive, Stafford, TX ; ext. 205; ext. 205; fax ; urosales@life-tech.com; continued on page 11 Certification Board for Urologic Nurses and Associates ATTENTION ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES The Certification Board for Urologic Nurses and Associates has an announcement that may affect you. Beginning January 1, 2006 and ending December 31, 2008, Advanced Practice Nurses who are NOT Master s prepared but LICENSED by their state as advanced practice nurses will be given an opportunity to sit for the Advanced Practice Certification Exam. This window of opportunity is limited to the above dates and will not be offered again. To download an application, go to then click the Certification tab, or call C-Net at