A delegation of 12 certified gastroenterology nurses traveled to China and visited hospitals in Beijing, Chongquing, and Kunming. The hospital visits included tours of endoscopy units and other departments within these hospitals. We were fortunate to have the experience of working within the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA), which further served to bond the members of this delegation in working toward a common goal of promoting strong relationships among gastroenterology nurses and associates and sharing the knowledge of our profession with others on an international level. Attendees engaged in dialogue to better understand each other, and gain an understanding of practice standards, education of nurses, and health care delivery systems in our respective countries. With the use of pictures and personal stories, we will describe our visit to the endoscopy departments and other areas of the hospitals, the nurses' role in caring for patients, infection control practices, discussions with the Chinese nurses and medical students. and current health care issues in China. This session will also provide background information on the history of nursing and the current nursing education trends in China.

Section Description

We are pleased to present the abstracts from SGNA's 33rd Annual Course, SGNA on a Mission: Exceeding Expectations. The diversity of these topics certainly reflects the richness and breadth of our specialty. In keeping with the tradition of the Annual Course, we hope the following abstracts will encourage discussions for improving nursing practice and patient care outcomes.