The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing is the official journal of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA). PCNA is the leading nursing organization dedicated to preventing cardiovascular disease through assessing risk, facilitating lifestyle changes, and guiding individuals to achieve treatment goals.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Third Annual Free Fall Lecture Series Launches September 15
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) will launch the 2012 Fall Lecture Series on September 15 in Fort Worth, Texas, and tour the country to 9 other cities through November 17.
Fall Lecture Schedule:
September 15, Fort Worth, TX
September 29, Oakland, CA
October 6, Chicago, IL
October 6, Morristown, NJ
October 20, Radnor, PA
October 20, Tampa, FL
October 27, Scottsdale, AZ
October 27, New York, NY
November 10, Seattle, WA
November 17, Atlanta, GA
PCNA Members and other healthcare providers in these areas are invited to attend these free, live half-day sessions to earn 2.25 contact hours of continuing education and 1.2 hours of pharmacology. The series will cover the following topics: Disparities in the Care of the Cardiovascular Patient, Management of Dyslipidemia: High Risk Patients, and Reducing Cardioembolic Risk in the Patient With AFib.
Free breakfast and lunch will be provided. Do not miss this chance to connect with other PCNA members and healthcare providers in your area, earn free contact hours of continuing education, and learn about new advances in cardiovascular disease.
It pays to attend live programs! At these programs, enjoy a $5 discount for a 1-year membership or renewal for all attendees.
Register today at http://www.pcna.net.
Apply for Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Annual Awards, Grants, and Scholarship by November 1
Award nominations are an exciting time at Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA). It is a time where we can recognize our members as leaders and significant contributors to cardiovascular disease prevention. Each year, PCNA offers multiple awards, as well as fellowships, grants, and scholarships. These awards honor leadership in the development of healthy lifestyle programs, excellence in cardiovascular clinical practice, excellence in leadership within PCNA, and volunteer service to PCNA. If you, or another PCNA member, deserve to be honored with one of these awards, review the eligibility criteria and apply online at http://www.pcna.net/member-center.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Healthy Living Leadership Award
The Coca-Cola Company and PCNA will partner to award up to $4000 plus free travel to a PCNA Annual Symposium to an individual for the creation, implementation, and/or evaluation of a new or existing healthy lifestyle program. This award aims to provide nurses with incentive, recognition, and resources to create, implement, and evaluate healthy lifestyle programs for patients in clinic settings, in workplaces, communities, or schools.
Terry Thomas Clinical Practice Award
This award recognizes and encourages excellence in clinical practice of cardiovascular prevention by nurses. The winner is recognized at the opening of the PCNA Annual Symposium with a plaque and $1000. The winner also receives complimentary registration, paid air/auto travel expenses, and a 3-night hotel stay to attend the symposium.
2013 Annual Symposium Scholarship
Each year, PCNA allocates a portion of its resources to support scholarships for members to attend the annual symposium. Selection for this scholarship will be based on academic and career achievement as well as financial need. This scholarship will cover full conference registration fees and materials.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Fellowship
Fellowship provides a means to recognize and award excellence in volunteer service and leadership within PCNA. Fellows will be recognized on the PCNA Web site and in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, acknowledged at the PCNA Annual Symposium, and be entitled to use the designation of Fellow of PCNA (FPCNA). This designation reflects not only the professional stature of the Fellow but also his/her record of valuable service to the association.
To be named a PCNA Fellow, one must be nominated by a current PCNA Fellow, be an active and current member of PCNA for at least 4 years, be an active participant on committees of PCNA, be involved in the development of PCNA educational projects, and/or be involved in other cardiovascular disease prevention and clinical practice.
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Now Accepting Abstracts for the 2013 Annual Symposium
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) invites healthcare professionals to submit an abstract for poster presentation at the PCNA 2013 Annual Symposium, being held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada, from May 2 to 4, 2013. The purpose of the poster session is to present original data-based research findings and share new and innovative ideas for successful approaches to cardiovascular risk reduction and disease management. There are 2 categories for submission: data-based research and quality improvement/innovation in patient care. This forum for members and colleagues to share their ideas and best practices is proudly provided by PCNA.
Submission of an abstract constitutes a commitment by the author to present a poster and be available for discussion during the open poster session if the abstract is accepted. Poster presentations will take place on Thursday, May 2, during a special reception at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino is Las Vegas, Nevada. Two outstanding written abstracts will also be selected from the submissions for oral presentations. Winners will be asked to deliver a 10-minute oral presentation to more than 500 participants during general symposium sessions. A $250 award will be given to the most innovative and significant abstract/poster presentation in each of the 2 categories.
All presenters and winners will be recognized during PCNA General Sessions on Friday, May 3. All accepted abstracts will also be published in the conference syllabus, on the PCNA Web site, and in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing (print or online).
Submissions open on September 5, 2012. Submit your abstract online at http://www.pcna.net. The deadline for submission is November 1, 2012.
Health Law Provides Free Annual Wellness and Preventive Visits
Seniors enrolled in Medicare are eligible for a variety of free preventive services and yearly "wellness" visits covered by Medicare as a result of the Affordable Care Act. Nationally, about 3.6% of beneficiaries, or 1.1 million seniors, have used the visits since January, but this varies state to state. Most seniors may not be aware of these services or are unfamiliar with the law.
Wellness visits are not physical examinations but a time for patients to receive an individual health plan from their healthcare provider to schedule screenings and update family and medical histories. Covered preventive services include mammograms and colorectal cancer screenings, as well as cardiovascular disease (CVD) behavioral therapy and cardiovascular screenings to check lipid levels.
Nursing professionals serve as frontline healthcare providers. We educate our patients on CVD risk factors and lifestyle changes necessary to prevent heart disease and stroke. It is also important that we advocate for professional and public awareness of CVD prevention. Therefore, we must inform our older adult patients and community groups about the preventive services they are entitled to receive. As an organization, Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association will continue to provide you with the most current information about prevention-related opportunities so that you may provide optimal care to your patients as well as educate the community at large. If you would like more information on the preventive services covered by Medicare, please visit http://www.medicare.gov.
Meet Your Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Membership Committee Chair
Kim Newlin, RN, CNS, NP-C, FPCNA, is a cardiovascular clinical nurse specialist and adult nurse practitioner at Sutter Roseville Medical Center in Roseville, California. She leads the Central Valley California Chapter of Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) and is a PCNA Fellow. Newlin is an advocate for health literacy initiatives and is serves as chair of the PCNA membership committee.
Newlin is the daughter of a researcher in cardiovascular disease prevention and a member of an active family. She makes healthy living a priority in her life, as well as the lives of her patients.
"It's important for nurses to set the standard and be good role models for the patients we see," says Newlin. "It makes patient education easier when you can speak about it from a personal level. I talk to patient bout what I do to be active, so they can relate to me."
As a primary care nurse practitioner, Kim Newlin also sees firsthand how important it is for all healthcare providers, no matter their discipline, to be advocates for cardiovascular disease prevention.
"Whether a patient comes in to see me for a checkup, or if they're coming in for a cold, there is an opportunity to talk about what they can be doing to improve their lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, losing weight, or exercising more," says Newlin. "When you think about how many nurses there are and how many patient interactions they have, we have so many opportunities to interject the importance of heart disease prevention."
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association Participates in the Million Hearts Initiative
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) is participating in the Million Hearts Initiative to prevent 1 million myocardial infarctions and strokes over 5 years.
Teaming up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, PCNA is helping bring together existing efforts and new programs to improve heath across communities and help Americans live longer, healthier, more productive lives through their Million Hearts initiative.
With the introduction of an updated "How Do You Measure Up?" blood pressure patient education brochure, PCNA will be participating in a 90-day "sprint" activity in conjunction with this initiative. The goal for this project is to improve blood pressure control by using PCNA members who serve as the frontline healthcare providers for patients with hypertension and are in a unique position to greatly influence patient behavior.
Forty PCNA members will take part in the pilot launch of our updated patient education tool. While using the updated publication to educate at least 40 to 50 patients over a 3-month period, participating PCNA members are encouraged to communicate with their colleagues about their experience online. They will also be completing a survey indicating how successful the new brochure is in helping patients understand the importance limiting dietary sodium intake, maintaining a healthy weight, incorporating physical activity into their lives, and adhering to prescribed medications.
The updated "How Do You Measure Up?" blood pressure patient education handbook used in this initiative will be available to all PCNA members after the completion of this sprint activity. The revised publication incorporates the most recent daily dietary sodium intake recommendations, reflects PCNA's enhanced focus on reader-centric approach to patient and public-facing materials, and includes a color-coded tape measure to encourage patients to self-identify the appropriate cuff size when choosing a home blood pressure monitor.
World Heart Day, September 29, 2012: One World, One Home, One Heart
Cardiovascular diseases, especially heart disease and stroke, are the largest killers in the world. Across the life span, 17.3 million lives are lost each year. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke include elevated blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, smoking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, being overweight, obesity, and physical inactivity.
World Heart Day was started in 2000 to provide educational information for people around the globe. The main message is that 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be prevented if these risk factors were controlled. In partnership with the World Health Organization, the World Heart Federation plans and organizes events in more than 100 countries for the community, including health checks, organized walks, running and fitness sessions, and presentations about heart disease risk. In addition, they host scientific forums and exhibitions targeted at healthcare professionals.
The main theme this year is "Home Heart Health" and will focus on women and children. Topic areas include the following:
* Women/children and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are not synonymous:
* CVD is commonly considered an "older person's" and a "man's" disease.
* Women underestimate their CVD risk, even though almost half of the 17.3 million annual deaths occur in women.
* Children are particularly at risk because they have little control over their environment and can be limited in choices to live heart-healthy.
* Women/mothers are often the key person to influence their family's heart health.
* Today's children are at increased risk for hypertension, heart disease, and stroke later in life. Action must be taken to enable heart-healthy activity and nutritional choices.
Visit pcna.net to learn more about World Heart Day.