executive director's message
TRANSCRIPT
2 | JAVA | Vol 12 No 1 | 2007
AVA is an international network of multidisciplinaryhealth industry professionals who, through collabo-rative efforts in education and research, enhance thecare of persons requiring infusion devices.
JAVA is abstracted in CINAHL.
B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S
Kathy McHugh, RN, BSNPresident
Darcy Doellman, RN, BSN, CRNIPresident-Elect
Kathy Kokotis, RN, BS, MBATreasurer
Leigh Ann Bowe-Geddes, RN, BS, CRNISecretary
Nancy Costa, RN, BSN, CRNIDirector-at-Large
Lorelei Papke-O’Donnell, RN, MSN, CRNIDirector-at-Large
Baird Mallory, MDDirector-at-Large
Nadine Nakazawa, RN, BS, OCNDirector-at-Large
Tom Vesely, MDDirector-at-Large
Kelli Rosenthal, MS, RN, BC, CRNI, ANP, APRN, BCPast President
Mary Lea NationsExecutive Director
AVA134 Fairmont Street / Suite B
Clinton, MS 39056 / 877-924-AVA1(601) 924-2233 / FAX (601) 924-0720www.avainfo.org – [email protected]
Advertising inquiries and reprint requests shouldbe addressed to:
Murphy Media GroupP. O. Box 905, Lawrence, KS 66044785-856-5111 / FAX 785-856-5112
[email protected] and display advertisements are pub-lished as a service to members and readers. AVAdoes not take responsibility for the contents ofadvertisements. All advertisements for employ-ment must comply with all applicable laws andregulations. Ads that discriminate against appli-cants based on sex, age, race, religion, maritalstatus, or physical handicap will not be accepted.
The editorial staff and AVA Board of Directorsassume no responsibility for statements or opinionsexpressed by JAVA contributors or advertisers.Journal of the Association for Vascular Access[print ISSN 1552-8855; online ISSN 1557-1289] ispublished quarterly.Copyright 2007 by AVA. All rights reserved.Printed in the United States of America.
Mary Lea NationsDOI: 10.2309/java.12-1-1
Happy Spring Everyone! I hope this issue of JAVA finds many of you enjoying slightly warmer weather and little or no wintryprecipitation.
Director of EducationThe Association for Vascular Access (AVA) continues to grow, expand, and move many
of our ambitious initiatives forward. As a follow-up to the President’s Message from Win-ter JAVA 2006, I am thrilled to update our membership and readership on the selection ofDeborah K. Richardson, RN, BS, BSN, MS, CNS, as AVA’s Director of Education.
AVA has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years and has ambitious neweducational projects planned, including the development of a multidisciplinary-based vas-cular access textbook, curriculum, and credentialing exam, as well as the development ofthe newly formed Wise Foundation dedicated to vascular access research and education.As Director of Education, Deb will take a lead staff role in the implementation and suc-cess of these projects. She will also coordinate all AVA educational programs and serve asthe educational staff liaison to the AVA membership and numerous committees includingConference, Publications, and Clinical Practice & Education.
Deb has an active history of involvement with AVA as a member, speaker, committeemember, and committee chair and was the 2005 recipient of AVA’s highest honor, theSuzanne LaVere Herbst Award for Excellence in Vascular Access Practice.
A clinical nurse specialist (CNS) at the University of Texas M.D. (UTMD) AndersonCancer Center in Houston, TX, she has worked with the Infusion Therapy Team since1980. She has assisted in designing, coordinating, and implementing research and devel-opment for improvement of patient care. She has been the nominee and recipient of numer-ous awards acknowledging her clinical contributions to vascular access nursing, includingthe Ben & Julie Rogers Award at UTMD Anderson Cancer Center and the Texas NursesAssociation District 9 Outstanding Nurse Award.
Wise FoundationFiscal Year 2007 marks the first full year for our Wise Foundation for Vascular Access
Education and Research. The Foundation is named for Marcia Wise, AVA’s former presi-dent and former acting Executive Director, who sustained the organization through signif-icant financial crisis in the late 1990s.
The mission of the Wise Foundation is to:1. Provide funds for research in various areas of vascular access; and2. Provide educational scholarships for vascular access professionals.The Wise Foundation is a 501(c)3 educational and research foundation. As part of this inau-
gural year, AVA has created the opportunity for individuals and corporations to become partof the prestigious Founder’s Society through the Wise Foundation as shown in the chart below.
Category Contribution Category ContributionPresident’s Circle $100,000+ Benefactor $5000+Diamond $50,000+ Patron $2500+ (Corporate Minimum)Medallion $25,000+ Friend* Donations up to $2500Crystal $10,000+ *Friend is for individuals only – no corporate entities
designated as Founder’s Society without $2500+ donation
E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E
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E X E C U T I V E D I R E C T O R ’ S M E S S A G E
Although we encourage participation in this prestigious Society, no donation is toosmall. Everyone should consider participating and supporting the Foundation.
New JAVA ColumnistsJAVA is pleased to welcome two new columnists: Stephanie Klee, RN, BSN, and Gail
Heckler, RN, BS. Gail is a PICC line expert and vascular access nurse. She is thefounder of P & A PICC, LLC, an independent contracting company responsible for staffeducation and the placement and maintenance of PICCs and midline catheters.Stephanie Klee has been in nursing since 1989, predominantly in pediatric intensivecare. She has focused on vascular access for the last two years and found it to be hermost challenging role to date in regards to patient care.
ASDIN ManagementAVA is pleased to announce that it has been chosen as the new management team
for the American Society for Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology (ASDIN).ASDIN has been under the management of the Medical Society of Delaware for thelast 3 years. ASDIN is a growing organization that has similar interests to AVA. Theorganization felt that AVA had the leadership and management style to take them for-ward for continued future success.
ASDIN was founded in 2000 to promote the proper application of new and existingprocedures in the practice of nephrology, with the goal of improving the care ofnephrology patients, including insertion of tunneled hemodialysis and peritoneal dialy-sis catheters, endovascular procedures, and diagnostic sonography. To learn more aboutASDIN, please visit http://www.asdin.org.
Staff AdditionAVA is pleased to announce a new addition to our Clinton, MS, office: Bertinna Dubra.
Bertinna is the new flex-time Program Coordinator. Bertinna will primarily be workingwith ASDIN on program coordination, conference activities, membership, and certifica-tion and accreditation. She will also assist on AVA programs as needed. Bertinna is a nativeof Jackson, MS, and has more than 10 years of experience in finance and banking.
Mary Lea NationsExecutive Director, AVA