ITNS E-Update
August 18, 2009

Roche has announced the availability of the CellCept Coupon Card and CellCept Reimbursement Support Services programs. Both programs are paid for by Roche with the hope that Roche may help eligible CellCept patients save money on their prescriptions, and provide a better understanding for patients of their individual healthcare coverage.  We invite you to share this information with your patients.  Please view these links for more information.  CellCept Coupon Card  /   CellCept Reimbursement Program

Roche / ITNS Transplant Nursing Excellence Award Winner

Sandra Martin Clinical Nurse Specialist in Heart Transplantation to receive the 2009 ROCHE / ITNS Transplant Nursing Excellence Award.
ITNS is pleased to announce that Sandra Martin, Clinical Nurse Specialist, is the recipient of the 2009 Nursing Excellence Award. Sandra has been a transplant nurse for 13 years and an ITNS member for eight years.

She started as a Junior Staff Nurse in 1996 at the Heart Transplant Center of University Hospitals of Leuven, Belgium. Sandra completed her Masters degree in Nursing Science at Catholic University of Leuven where she graduated cum laude. Since 2002 Sandra has worked to increase the quality of patient care through an evidence-based nursing approach.  Sandra's nominator described her as "a role model for the members of the heart transplant program". Sandra has served on the ITNS International Board, participated as an abstract reviewer, workshop chairperson and symposium presenter. She has twice received ITNS research grants for her work on "Quality of Life in long-term heart transplant recipients". 

The award presentation will take place during the General Assembly on Saturday, September 26, 2009, in Montreal Quebec, Canada.  You can learn more about the award and Sandra in the Winter 2010 ITNS newsletter.

Help Support ITNS for FREE!

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ITNS By-law Review and Member Comment

The ITNS Board has performed its bi-annual by-law review this year.  Some changes have been incorporated to conform and adapt to Pennsylvania Non-Profit legal requirements, other changes are suggested based on procedural issues, and additional suggestions have been made based on changing times and technologies. 

Comments and questions can be sent to itns@msn.com, subject line:  Bylaws, and must be received by Monday, September 14.  Questions and comments will be summarized and reviewed by the ITNS Board of Directors and will be discussed at the ITNS General Assembly in Montreal, Quebec on Saturday, September 26, 2009.  Based on the membership comments and questions, review by the Board, and comments received at the general assembly, a final version of the proposed By-law changes will be posted at www.itns.org the week of October 1, 2009.

A Survey Monkey will be sent to all active members who are eligible to vote the week of October 1, 2009, requesting that they accept or decline the proposed ITNS by-law changes, either as a whole, or by individual sections.

ITNS Transplant IQ Series Pre-Order / Pay Online

ITNS is now accepting online payment for the ITNS Transplant IQ Series.  The ITNS Transplant IQ Series was developed to allow the CTCRC to become more accessible to the highest number of nurses in the least costly manner. While individuals can purchase the DVDs as a set or by specific topic, hospitals and transplant centers will find the ITNS Transplant IQ Series to be a tremendous resource for training large numbers of nurses at a low rate per person. Individual viewers will receive CE and CEPTC credits by taking the IQ post-test included in the supplemental materials with each DVD and paying a small fee.

All 16 topic areas covered in the CTCRC are provided by the ITNS Transplant IQ Series. The Immunology and Histocompatibility Module has been translated with sub-titles into 10 additional languages. These DVDs will be an excellent resource for studying for your CCTC or CCTN examination.  Each DVD ranges from 30-120 minutes and features a speaker who is an expert in that field. The DVDs are interactive and studio-produced for the exclusive purpose of delivering information to participants in any setting. The IQ Series was developed for all transplant professionals including case managers, social workers, medical, nursing and pharmaceutical students and pharmaceutical representatives.

While the DVDs carry the FBI copyright and cannot be duplicated, multiple nurses can benefit from watching and reviewing these DVDs in a group setting, as many times as necessary.  Hospitals or transplant centers may complement the DVD subject matter by providing their own transplant educators to moderate organized viewing of the topics, thus allowing for questions and interaction.

Our goal is to educate and promote nursing certification for as many transplant nurses and coordinators as we can reach.  Through the ITNS Transplant IQ Series DVD set, we can do just that, in a very cost-effective manner.

Cost is $350 for ITNS members and $500 for non-members. There is a $10 per DVD credit fee for CEs and CEPTCs for any individual who watches the DVD, completes the IQ post-test and evaluation for that subject, and mails their test and check for $10 to ITNS. The ITNS Transplant IQ Series is made possible through a grant from Astellas Pharma US.

Educational Opportunitites

"Joie de Vivre- The Joy of Transplant Nursing" 
Plan your trip to Montreal this September for the ITNS Annual Symposium.  Join your ITNS colleagues for what is sure to be an exciting Annual Symposium with international flair. "Joie de Vivre- The Joy of Transplant Nursing" takes place September 24-26 at the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure. As always, our workshops and abstract presentations will highlight timely issues relevant to transplant professionals from staff nurses to researchers and managers. Featured keynote speakers include Dr. Mary Krugman PhD, RN, FAAN discussing evidence-based practice in transplant nursing, Dr. Roger Evans exploring transplant tourism and Dr. Michael J. Goldstein on defining high risk in adult renal transplantation. Our 2009 Symposium Co-chairs Kathy Schwab RN, BSN, CCTC and Sandy Cupples RN, PhD extend a warm invitation to each of you to join them in Montreal.

ITNS Exhibiting
ITNS Board Members Renee Bennett RN, BSN, CNOR, CCTN, CCTC and Chris Shay-Downer RN, BSN, CCTC will represent ITNS at the Society for Transplant Social Workers 24th Annual Conference October 13-16, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Conference takes place at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland. Cost is $350 for STSW members and $450 for nonmembers. For more information, visit their web site at www.transplantsocialworker.org

Register Now for the Next Transplant Certification Review Course 
Columbus, Ohio will serve as the host city for the next ITNS Transplant Certification Review course November 14-16. This three-day workshop will be held at the Columbus Westin conveniently located in the downtown Columbus, close to the airport and accessible to major highways. The course includes a review of all transplanted organs, as well as other issues addressed in the test such as Professional Ethics and Patient Literacy.

ITNS Winter Workshop in San Antonio
Plans are already underway for the next ITNS Winter Workshop. Join us to discuss Quality Issues and Best Practices in San Antonio, Texas February 12-13, 2010 at the Omni La Mansion Del Rio. Look for more information to come regarding speakers and registration.

UNOS Forum Accepting Abstracts
You still have time to submit an abstract for the 18th Annual UNOS Transplant Management Forum to be held April 21-23, 2010 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Submit your abstract by September 18, 2009 for a 15-minute oral or poster presentation, or by February 12, 2010 for a poster presentation only. Visit the UNOS Web site for submission information, author guidelines, and a sample abstract.