Summer 2016 Issue

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SUMMER 2016- Vol 25, No. 2
IMPROVING LIVES…THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE
Marie Rossi, BS, RN
Vascular Group,
Albany, NY
“The best way to
predict the future
is to create it.”
- Abraham Lincoln
IN THIS ISSUE
- Research Corner
- News Release
- SVN Annual
Convention Recap
- New Board
SVN...prn Editor
Cristina Sola, BS, RN-BC
Improving Lives “The Magical World of Vascular
Nursing” was the focus of this year’s convention.
With nearly 200 attendees, 13 vendors and a
host of great speakers, we set out on a journey
of exploration to increase our knowledge and
network with other colleagues. Our keynote
speaker Dr. Thom Rooke shared a very interesting
perspective of using a children’s book as the
premise for how we learn life lessons and change
perspective through situations that occur in
treating vascular patients.
In his book
“Fishing with Al”
he pointed out
that it pays to
be innovative.
Ingenuity is
important as we
move forward
in 2016. SVN
needs to change
its thinking to include ways of reaching younger
nurses. New technology is changing the way we
receive education. Many new and advanced
practice nurses are in need of quick and easy
options to obtain CEU’s. SVN can and should be
the website they go to for continuing education
courses. Developing links and collaborating with
other organizations will help us attain this goal.
Another
lesson learned
is that position
is everything.
SVN has
positioned
itself with a
new website
that has
numerous
capabilities to enable us to provide a resource for
our members as well as provide a revenue source.
Realizing that good ideas don’t always work, the
Board of Directors and I will continue to make
SVN the premier organization for nurses caring
for patients with vascular disease.
As we move
forward this
year and
continue to
grow SVN’s
membership and
strengthen our
financial stability
we need to
remember this is
a work in progress. We need to carefully choose
how we implement our changes. I am excited to
serve as your President this year and look forward
to working with an amazing group of professional
nursing experts.
Together we can accomplish much. Remember to
keep asking members to get involved. A personal
request always makes a difference.
We will be sending out an email blast for new
members to join a committee. We need the
right people on the bus to get where SVN wants
to go. We are accepting abstracts for the 2017
convention until July 11th. Please don’t hesitate
and apply online today www.svnnet.org. Help
make our 35th Annual convention in Nashville
an even greater success by being a part of it.
Respectfully,
Marie Rossi, RN, BS, CVN
SVN President

Research Corner
DURATION OF COMPRESSION SOCK USE
AFTER ENDOVENOUS ABLATION THERAPY
By: Paula Cassell, R.N.,
Clinical Director, Peachtree Vascular
Specialists, P.C., Stockbridge, Georgia
Compression is of vital importance
after venous ablation procedures such
as laser, radiofrequency and chemical
ablations. Post-operative bruising,
tenderness and reduction in the risk
of venous thromboembolism in the
treated leg as well as the untreated
leg are affected by compression
(Weiss, 2016). Class II compression
stockings, 30-40mmHg, are applied
immediately in the post-operative
period. Duration of therapy ranges
from days to weeks in compression
stockings use after venous ablation. A
controlled trial was performed with the
objective to determine the duration of
wearing compression stockings after
endovenous ablation of the greater
saphenous vein (GSV) and how stocking
use influences post-operative pain and
quality of life.
Method: A prospective randomized
controlled trial was performed between
2006 and 2008, 109 consecutive patients
with EVLT of the GSV. Exclusions were
deep vein insufficiency, ulceration, more
than one insufficient vein in one leg and
use of anticoagulants. Thus only 69 of
original 109 were included in the trial.
Group A used compression stockings
48 hours after therapy, Group B for 7
days. Pain (VAS visual analogue scale)
and quality of life (SF-36) were analyzed
48 hours, 1 week and 6 weeks after
therapy. Three months after treatment,
duplex ultrasound was done to assess
occlusion rates.
Results: Both groups (group A, n =
37; group B, n = 32) were comparable
at baseline. After 1 week, there was
a significant difference in pain (VAS
score 3.7 [±2.1] vs. 2.0 [±1.1], p ≤ .001),
and physical dysfunction (group A,
85.1 [±11.2] vs. group B, 95.7 [±10.1];
p < .001) as well as vitality (group A,
75 [±13.0] vs. group B, 83.7 [±13.4];
p = .03), all in favor of group B, which
disappeared after 6 weeks. After 6
weeks, no significant differences in
all endpoints were present. Duplex
ultrasound imaging revealed complete
GSV occlusion in all patients, while no
cases of deep venous thrombosis had
developed.
Conclusion: Prescribing stockings for
greater than 2 days after endovenous
ablation leads to reduced pain and
improved physical function during first
week after treatment (Bakker, 2013).
Defining a successful endovenous
ablation as reduction or absence of
“reflux in any segment longer than 5 cm”
for radiofrequency and laser success
defined as “stable occlusion”. Post
sclerotherapy ablation compression is
mandatory on the varicose clusters for
48 hours, then whole limb compression
with 20-30mmhg thigh high, worn day
times for at least 15 days (Bergan 2005).
Physician answers on Veindirectory.
org varied in that some recommended
wearing compression stockings for
at least the first week, while others
feel as though it should be at least
two weeks. Controlling the swelling,
bruising, pain and occlusion of the GSV
with absence of DVT or SVT are the
mainstream reasons for compression in
the post-operative period. All ablations
are dependent on the use of postoperative
compression stockings at
varying durations and should be at the
discretion of the individual practitioner.
Reference:
1. Weiss, M., James, W.D. (2016).
Radiofrequency ablation therapy
for varicose veins. Medscape Drug
and Disease. Retrieved from:
http://emedicine.medscape.com/
article/1085800-overview
2. Bakker, N.A. et al. (2013).
Compression stockings after
endovenous ablation of the GSV: A
prospective randomized controlled
trial (2013). European Journal of
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery,
Volume 46 issue 5 (3): 588-592.
3. Bergan, John. (2005).
Surgical vs. Thermal vs. Chemical
ablation of the refluxing saphenous
vein, Third Interventional Vein
Congress: Retrieved from:
http://www.angiologiaonline.it/
cont/020lis/0411/2300/11731all1.pdf
4. Vein Directory.org.
Retrieved from: http://www.
veindirectory.org/question/howlong-do-i-have-to-wear-compressionstockings-134
www.svnnet.org

CHAPTER corner
The Northeast chapter of SVN
(NESVN) had its Martel’s event
May 17th.
This annual event raises funds for
the Linda Ward Travel Scholarship.
This allows members of the local
chapter to attend the national
convention by paying for their
airfare, hotel and registration.
The event takes place at a
golf course under a tent with
decorations to match our theme.
The chapter typically raises at
least $5,000. The funds are used
to provide members educational
offerings throughout the year.
In order to raise funds for this
event, vendors sponsor a table for
$500 and provide education on
their products. This year the theme
was “Spring Training for Vascular
Health”. Additional fundraising
includes an auction of donated
baskets and a 50/50 raffle.
Each year we honor a
chapter member with the
Clinical Excellence in
Vascular Nursing award.
Anita Puthuparampil-Suchdeve
received this year’s award for
2016. She has served both at the
local and national level of SVN and
is a true asset to our local chapter.
She currently serves on the Board
of Directors with a focus on the
Sponsorship Task Force which
raises funds for SVN.
Congratulations to Anita!!
www.svnnet.org

News Release
IAC Introduces QI Self-Assessment Tool
MAY 16, 2016 | Ellicott City, MD
The Intersocietal Accreditation
Commission (IAC) announces
its launch of the IAC QI Self-
Assessment Tool. Created
to help facilities employ and
document continuous process
improvement, the new quality
improvement (QI) tool provides
a mechanism for meeting the
quality measures required by
each IAC diagnostic imaging
accreditation program (Vascular
Testing, Echocardiography,
Nuclear/PET, MRI and CT).
“Designed to engage facilities
by providing an easy-to-use
mechanism to perform and
document ongoing quality
improvement efforts, our
goal with the new IAC QI
Self-Assessment Tool is to
encourage facilities to think
critically about their work quality
and to continuously identify
opportunities for improvement,”
said Craig Fleishman, MD, FACC,
FASE, IAC Echocardiography
Board member and IAC QI
Committee member.
A new feature of IAC Online
Accreditation, the QI tool
provides participating facilities
a data-driven, objective
measure of their QI progress
for use in complying with the
IAC Standards and Guidelines
for Accreditation and fulfilling
a variety of facility quality
initiatives. Over time, facilities
will be able to benchmark their
findings both internally and with
the imaging community as a
whole.
“The initial feedback gained
through the pilot process
and from first users has been
extremely positive,” remarked
Mary Lally, MS, CAE, IAC CEO.
“IAC is proud to make this tool
available to the diagnostic
imaging community, as part
of our ongoing mission of
improving health care through
accreditation.”
Using the new IAC QI tool,
facilities self-assess their own
imaging studies and receive a
quantitative report that targets
opportunities for improvements,
leading to enhanced patient care.
Visit the IAC website at
intersocietal.org/QItool to learn
more about this exciting new
IAC innovation, including a
webcast providing a detailed
tutorial for users.
www.svnnet.org

SVN Annual Convention Recap
Nearly 200 attendees
participated in SVN’s 34th
Annual Convention April 19-
22, 2016 in Orlando, Florida.
The meeting kicked off with
motivational speaker Pedro
Pimenta from Hanger. Pimenta’s
presentation immersed the
audience in his life journey and
struggles to overcome adversity.
The convention was packed
with educational content from
over 40 unique presentations.
A special thank you to our Live
Simulation Sponsor Cook Medical
and Product Theatre Sponsor
Boehringer Ingelheim for the
following presentations:
A Huge thank you to all the
convention speakers and
poster presenters who made
this conference one
of the best yet!
Live Case Simulation
sponsored by Cook Medical
Dr. Robert Feezor, Assistant
Professor, Vascular Surgery and
Endovascular Therapy University
of Florida, Gainesville, FL
conducted a live case simulation
using the Cook Medical
Simulator which featured two
intermediate to advanced
superficial femoral artery (SFA)
and iliac interventions. The
simulation showcased the ability
to successfully place stents in the
SFA or iliac arteries. This was a
ground-breaking, first of its kind
SFA procedure demonstration
emphasizing accuracy and safety
that the Society hosted.
Pradaxa Product Theatre
sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim
Moving Forward in
Anticoagulation Care with the
Availability of a Reversal Agent
This Product Theater provided
information on PRAXBIND, a new
reversal agent in anticoagulation
therapy. PRAXBIND is indicated
for patients treated with
Pradaxa when reversal of the
anticoagulant effects of Pradaxa
is needed for emergency
surgery/urgent procedures or in
life-threatening or uncontrolled
bleeding.
View photos from the event online at www.bit.ly/SVN2016
SVN presented several
attendees with awards for
their presentations at the
annual convention.
Award Winners:
Best Overall Presentation:
Debra Kohlman-Trigoboff, RN, MS,
ACNP-BC, CVN
Best First time Presenter:
Kristen Alix, APRN-BC, MS, CVN, CCRN
Best Overall Poster Presentation:
Suzanne Beels, MSN, RN, CCRN
Judith Troyer-Caudle Award:
Christine Murphy, RN, ET, PhD
SVN Award Recipients:
Clinical Excellence in Vascular
Nursing:
Cristina Sola, BSN, RN-BC
Distinguished Service:
Patricia Bozeman, APRN, CVN
Jeanne E. Doyle Award:
Kathleen Rich, PHD, RN, CCNS, CCRN-
CSC, CNN
Travel Awards:
Diane Gawron, RN, CVN
Marge Lovell, RN, CCRC, CVN, BEd, Med
Christine Murphy, RN, ET, PhD
Cristina Sola, BSN, RN-BC
www.svnnet.org

SVN welcome
2016-2017 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT
Marie Rossi, BS, RN
Vascular Group
Albany, NY
PRESIDENT-ELECT
Tiffany Street, RN, MSN, ACNP
Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute
Nashville, TN
SECRETARY
Sharon Weinlein, ADN, RN
The Vascular Group
Albany, NY
TREASURER
Dewey Moulton, RN, M.A.N
Mayo Clinic
Rochester, MN
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Phyllis Gordon, MSN, APRN, ACNS BC
UT Health Science Center
San Antonio, TX
DIRECTORS
Kristen Alix, APRN-BC, MS, CVN, CCRN
University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, CO
Patty Flanagan, MSN, RN-BC
Albany Medical Center
Albany, NY
Pamela Mahaffey, BSN, MSN
Vascular Outcomes Manager
Ohio Health-Grant Medical Center
Columbus, OH
Chris Owen, MSN, ACNP-BC, RNFA
Baltimore Washington Medical Center
Baltimore, MD
Anita Puthuparampil-Suchdeve, RN, BS
Vascular Health Partners
Community Care Physicians
Queensbury, NY

REGISTER TODAY!
SEPT
18 -22, 2016
WYNN LAS VEGAS
GLOBAL
LIVE CASES
MULTISPECIALTY
EDUCATION
FELLOWS
PROGRAM
VIRTUAL
PARTICIPATION
Witness the most
challenging cases from
around the globe
Leading experts from
over 35 countries representing
all vascular specialties
U.S. physicians-in-training
attend complimentary and present
at a world-class conference
Interaction with VIVA faculty and
attendees, resources, presentations
and other conference tools
Come early for The VEINS!
September 17-18, 2016
WWW.VIVAPHYSICIANS.ORG
@VIVAPhysicians
#VIVAPVD
THE GLOBAL EDUCATION COURSE FOR VASCULAR MEDICINE AND INTERVENTION

SAVE THE DATE
35 th ANNUAL CONVENTION
APRIL 4-7, 2017
Loews Vanderbilt Nashville, Tennessee
ANNIVERSARY