Winter 2012 - Vol 1 Issue 3

2011 ITNS Symposium Summary
By Dr. Cynthia Russell, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, FAAN

The 2011 ITNS 20th Annual Symposium was held in Goteborg, Sweden September 15-17, 2011. The conference, which focused on "Pride, Passion, and Possibilities", was enjoyed by 227 attendees from 17 countries. Astellas, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and Pfizer were sponsors of the event. The first evening event was the welcome reception which was held at the Elite Park Avenue Hotel, the venue for the symposium. Lots of hugs and handshakes were exchanged as new and established ITNS friends welcomed each other! Read more

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction in Liver Transplant Patients
Gerda Drent, RN, MSN, PhD1, Marleen Pastoor, BSc2, Greetje Kuiken, BSc2 , Robert Borgers, BSc1

One of our male patients directed our attention to a pilot of the "Coping with Stress"- training, initially aimed at patients with cancer. This particular patient followed this "Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)-training" on an individual basis, had good experiences with this course, and volunteered to act as a contact person and co-organizer for the pilot. He gave a presentation on the training at the Patient Day of the Dutch Liver Patient Organization and wrote an article in the newsletter "overLevering" that is distributed among all patients who underwent a liver transplant at the University Medical Center of Groningen (UMCG).  Although the HDI mainly offers trainings and courses to cancer patients and their relatives, they were very interested in expanding their activities to other patient groups. Read more

Transplant Nursing Across the Lifespan... Sharing Best Practices:

Join ITNS colleagues for a full two and a half day workshop, in Atlanta, Georgia, over the 2012 Presidents' Day weekend.  Consisting of two tracks, pediatric and adult, the format for the workshop will consist of general lectures and concurrent sessions.  This workshop offers both health care professionals and allied health care professionals, with all levels of expertise, an opportunity to expand their knowledge, debate best practices, discuss challenges, and improve competencies.  In addition, the workshop will provide a forum for networking with colleagues and exhibitors in a collegial atmosphere. Read more

The Time is Right: ITNS Engages in Strategic Planning
Chris Shay-Downer, RN, BSN, CCTC and Renee Bennett, RN, BSN, CNOR, CCTN, CCTC

Earlier this quarter, your ITNS Board of Directors (BOD) launched a strategic planning effort focused on our continued growth development and organizational strength. Not long ago, you may have taken a membership survey which asked multiple questions to assess your perception of ITNS and where you would like to see us grow. The results from this survey along with other "stakeholder" interviews (with our sister organizations, physicians, industry partners) were analyzed by our partners at Orion Advisory, LLC for review during the November ITNS BOD meeting in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The Board collaborated on this information, brainstormed, and pondered, and several strategic "themes" were identified. These "themes" will be analyzed by workgroups from the BOD to develop projects for organizational enhancement and improvement. Read more

Meet the Newest ITNS Board Members

Patrice Pfeiffenberger - the new Marketing Director for ITNS

I have been a nurse for over 15 years.  Eleven years ago I "stumbled" into transplant.  I was looking for a job & the transplant floor was hiring and "low and behold" I've been doing this for all this time.   I have truly found my niche as a Liver Transplant Coordinator and I couldn't imagine doing anything else.  I am the current President of the Delaware Valley Chapter of ITNS.  I am an avid Philadelphia Phillies fan.  My hobbies include running (when I'm motivated), volunteering with my local running club, and spending time with my friends and family.  I look forward to working on the Board of Directors as Marketing Director. 

Michelle James - the new Education Director for ITNS 

Michelle James, MS, RN, CNS, CCTN, has rejoined the Board of Directors as the Educational Director. Michelle is the Solid Organ Transplant Clinical Nurse Specialist at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  Working with patients experiencing organ failure and abdominal organ transplant has been her passion since she became a nurse.  She has served the ITNS previously in the role of Educational Director.  Her most recent publication deals with the care of patients undergoing pancreas transplantation in the September, 2011 issue of Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America.

Colleen Shelton -  the new International Director for ITNS 

Colleen Shelton, RN, BAAN, MHSc
Nurse Manager
Multi Organ Transplant Unit
Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network
Toronto, Ontario Canada 

New ITNS Book: Core Competencies

Core Competencies is a new book for nurses working in the area of transplantation. There are fifteen domains of practices identified in the book. Members wishing to purchase the new book will pay $25.00 and $40.00 for non-members. Also, ITNS is offering a package deal including the new Core Competencies book and the Scope and Standards book. The packaged member rate is $37.00 and $55.00 for non-members. Information and order forms can be found on the ITNS website.

2011 Research Activities Summary
Research Board of Directors Dr. Cindy Russell and Dr. Sandy Cupples 

Through its Research Grants Program, ITNS is able to foster nursing scholarship and advance transplant nursing practice. ITNS is pleased to announce that a $2500.00 research grant has been awarded at the annual symposium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The  2011 ITNS research grant recipient is Beverly Kosmach-Park, DNP. The title of Beverly's study is: Pediatric Intestine Transplantation: Clinical and Psychosocial Outcomes of Long-Term Survivors at > 5 Years Post-Transplant. We congratulate Beverly on her award and look forward to the presentation of her findings at the 2012 ITNS Symposium in Seattle, Washington. Read more 

2011 Transplant Nursing Excellence Winner

In December 2011, Mike Buecher will celebrate 30 years in Transplant Nursing, perhaps Jennifer Milton BSN RN CCTC MBA, Transplant Administrator, best describes the enormity of her contributions to, and experiences within transplantation with these words " Her passion for learning about transplant has never dampened.  Her career has spanned a time of unbelievable innovations and advancements in donation, transplantation, immunosuppression coupled with massive changes in the regulatory and financial operations of transplantation yet she comes to every grand rounds where she is contagiously enthusiastic about getting the new information!" Read more

2011 Chapter Development Update

Welcome new ITNS Chapters!

We are thrilled to report that 3 new ITNS chapters were chartered at the 20th Annual ITNS Symposium in Goteborg, Sweden! The Arizona ITNS Chapter, led by President Madelyn Ruocco, was the 1st chapter chartered this year. Next, the Chicago ITNS Chapter, with President Judith Stein was acknowledged. And the Heart of America chapter, located in Kansas, with Adam Olberding at the helm, was also founded this year. Congratulations to all of our newest chapters and welcome aboard! Read more

Chapter Leader SIG Meeting

We held our annual Chapter Leader's Meeting during the ITNS 20th annual symposium in Goteborg, There were 9 chapter leaders in attendance from the US, Italy, Sweden and Holland. The group was led by ITNS Director of Chapter Development, Mimi Funovits.

The meeting was open to a round-table discussion. Each chapter leader discussed their own adventures and challenges of chapter development or their National Representative position and offered their tips for success. Read more

Research Journal Club
Beth Kallenborn, RN BSN CCTC

As I start on a new journey in my nursing career, graduate school, one of the first assignments I had was to review a nursing research article for class journal club. We were free to choose our article, summarize, and post 3 questions for online discussion. The class was grouped pretty much according to environment in which we work - long term care, pediatric, critical care and then my group which includes me a transplant coordinator, a nurse educator and a step-down ICU RN. We chose to go first and the article we selected was Dr. Cynthia Russell and Frank Van Gelder's research study, An International Perspective: Job Satisfaction Among Transplant Nurses. The results of this study were reported in Progress in Transplantation, 18(1), p 32-40. Read more

Uncertainty Managment Study 

I am assisting in a research study called Uncertainty Management Training designed to better understand patients' experiences living with liver disease and to assist patients and their caregivers with this experience. This National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) funded study is approved by the Investigational Review Board at Duke University to reach out to patients beyond this site. I am asking you to share this information card with your patients awaiting liver transplant. 

Read the letter from Julie Hudson regarding an important nursing intervention study 

Portrait of an ITNS Chapter
Mimi Funovits, RN, BS, CCTC

Chapter President, Juri Ducci, has generously agreed to share his thoughts and recollections about chartering The ITNS Italian chapter during 2009. This Italian transplant group has accomplished amazing projects in a short period of time and they are on their way to future successes. Juri was recently interviewed and I think you will enjoy reading his responses. Read more

Happy New Year!

As you begin 2012, invest in ITNS by helping sustain or start a chapter in your institution, city, or region!

ITNS Board of Directors

President Emeritus 10-11 Beth Kallenborn, RN BSN CCTC,Kallenbornea@upmc.edu

President10-11 Chris Shay-Downer, RN BSN CCTC, shayc@ccf.org

President-Elect 10-11 Renee Bennett, RN BSN CNOR CCTN,Bennetr@ccf.org

Secretary/Web Director 10-12 Sharie Lewis, RN BSN CCTN, lewissha@methodisthealth.org

Treasurer 09-12 Karla Weis, RN BSN CCTC,Weis.Karla@mayo.edu

Chapter Development Director 09-11 Mimi Funovits, RN BS CCTC, funovitsm@upmc.edu

Marketing Director 09-11 Jeff Arnovitz, RN MSN CNP CCTC, arnovij@ccf.org or jwvitz@aol.com

Newsletter Director 10-12 Julie Hudson, RN MSN CCTC, hudso026@mc.duke.edu

Education Director 10-12 Lecia Snell, RN MSN CCTN, lsnell@nebraskamed.com

Research Director 09-11 Cindy Russell, RN PhD, russellc@missouri.edu

International Director 09-11 Christiane Kugler, RN PhD, Kugler.christiane@mh-hannover.de

International Director 10-12 Marjo van Helden M.vanHelden@nier.umcn.nl

Executive Director (non-voting) Beth Kassalen, MBA, beth@itns.org

Incoming BOD in Sweden

The ITNS IQ Series: Course review for 3 or 300 nurses.