President'sMessage

IntroductionsI cannot begin to tell you how honored I am to be serv-

ing as your president. I would like to take this opportunityto tell you a bit about myself. I was born and raised inMemphis, TN, and yes, of course I’m an Elvis fan!

As far as my career, I’m honestly not really sure how Igot here. When I started as a freshman at Memphis State University (now TheUniversity of Memphis), I was hoping to work in the fashion or interior designindustry. Instead I graduated in 1990 from a hospital-based diploma nursingprogram. Right after taking my state board exams, I married Burney (also anative Memphian) and began working as a staff nurse on a spinal cord injuryrehabilitation unit. Little did I know at the time, this would be my first expo-sure to bowel and bladder dysfunction. I decided on rehabilitation nursing rightafter my rotation there. I liked the idea of helping patients learn to take care ofthemselves. After a few years of rotating shifts, an old friend told me about a reg-ular weekday job doing urodynamics at the university hospital. My responsewas “What in the world is that!?” That was in January 1993, and I have workedin some sort of urology ever since.

After some time I developed the Continence Care Services department atthe University of Tennessee at Memphis to include urodynamics and pelvicfloor biofeedback for bowel and bladder conditions. In 1998 Burney and I relo-cated to Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, where I worked for a large private urology prac-tice developing and implementing their continence services and programs.After several years I went to work at the University of Texas SouthwesternMedical Center, where I still am today. Currently, I am a research nurse in theDepartment of Urology. I work on clinical trials for continence and voiding dys-function and am active in the management of our urodynamics program.

So what do I do when I’m not working? My husband, now of 17 years, andI built a house in Mansfield, TX, in 1999. In Memphis we lived in a house builtin 1923. What a difference that is! Mansfield is between Dallas and Fort Worthand south of the metropolitan area. Burney and I commute an hour each wayto and from work together each day. We live with our four-legged children Oreo(a 13-year-old black and white long haired cat), Olive (a 7.5-year-old BorderCollie/Sheltie mix), Cinnamon (a 5-year-old Australian Cattle Dog mix), andBasil (a 2-year-old brown tabby cat). We are active in our local Episcopalianparish and both like to garden.

My favorite things are cooking and decorating. For a brief time I considereda culinary career and apprenticed as a chef on the weekends while I worked asnurse during the week. I decided to keep the cooking as a fun thing for familyand friends. The Food Network and Home and Garden TV Network would be on

Volume 35, Number 6 © 2007 Official Publication of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates November 2007

Web site: www.suna.org

In this issueAnnual Report Edition

2 Call for Papers for 39thAnnual Conference

3-9 Annual Reports

10 Regional News

13 Member Spotlight

14 Preview of AnnualSymposium Workshops

15 Call for Abstracts for 2008Annual Symposium

16 Membership RecruitmentResults

Tamara Dickinson

Mark YourCalendar!

February 28 - March 2, 2008The Annual Symposium:Pelvic Pain and PelvicFloor Disorders

Tampa Waterside Hotel & MarinaTampa, FLSee Call for Abstracts on page 15.

October 3-6, 200839th Annual Conference

Philadelphia Marriott DowntownPhiladelphia, PASee Call for Papers on page 2.

continued on page 7

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Uro-Gram November 2007

Here we are with theholiday season fast approaching! It

is hard to believe how fast the time fliesby. Someone once told me, “Life is like a

roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to theend, the faster it goes.” Isn’t that the truth? Iwas just thinking the other day that I will onlyneed to renew my certification a couple moretimes before I retire. Retirement. Less than 10years away? It just doesn’t seem possible thatI’ve been a nurse all these years. Where does

the time go?We had a wonderful time at the Annual Conference in Phoenix.

The January issue will feature a wrap up of the conference and pho-tos of our members having a good time while learning. This issuecontains the annual reports from the Board of Directors, committees,and special interest groups. I’m sure when you read these reports youwill be impressed with the wonderful work this organization accom-plished in 1 short year.

Evey Kliever MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURNUro-Gram Editor

eveyk@chartermi.net

Evey Kliever

SUNA Board of DirectorsPresidentTamara Dickinson, RN, CURN, CCCN,BCIA-PMDB

President-ElectMary Anne Wasner, RN, CURN

Immediate Past PresidentSaundra Seidel, APRN-BC, CUCNS, CNOR

TreasurerSusan Lipsy, APRN-BC, CUNP

SecretaryDebbie Hensley, BSN, RN

Northeast Regional DirectorValre Welch, MSN, CPNP

Southeast Regional DirectorLee Ann Boyd, MSN, BSN, ARNP

North Central RegionalDirectorAmy Driscoll, BSN, CURN

Western Regional DirectorDonna Clar, MSN, MBA, RN, CRRN

Uro-Gram EditorEvey Kliever, MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURN

SUNA National OfficeExecutive DirectorAnthony J. Jannetti

Director, Association ServicesCheryl Underhill

Executive SecretaryPat Davey

Uro-Gram Managing EditorKathleen Thomas

East Holly Avenue, Box 56Pitman, NJ 08071-00561-888-TAP-SUNA / 856-256-2335fax: 856-589-7463Web site: www.suna.orgemail: suna@ajj.com

Call for Papers for 39th Annual Conference

The Program Planning Committee is pleased to announce a Callfor Papers for SUNA’s 39th Annual Conference, which will be heldOctober 3-6, 2008, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown inPhiladelphia, PA. We invite you to submit abstracts for oral presenta-tion addressing topics related to urologic patient care. Paper presenta-tions must be identified as basic, intermediate, or advanced.Submissions must be received by December 14, 2007.

Abstract Format1. Abstracts must be typed, single spaced on 8” x 11” white bond

paper.2. Abstracts must be in narrative form and not exceed 300 words.3. Title of abstract should appear at the top.4. List primary presenter first, then additional presenters with cre-

dentials (RN, BSN, MA, PhD, etc.) below the title.5. The author(s) work/home/email addresses and telephone/facsim-

ile numbers should be listed on a separate page.Each submission will be evaluated by the Program Planning

Committee to determine the final selection for the conference pro-gram. Send abstracts to: SUNA National Office, East Holly Avenue Box56, Pitman, NJ 08071-0056; fax 856-589-7463; suna@ajj.com. Anyquestions or concerns may be directed to the SUNA national office.

Officers

PresidentIt has been my pleasure to serve as

SUNA President for the past year. Wehave made great accomplishments inboth the clinical and organizational are-nas. I appreciate all the hard work anddedication from the Board of Directorsas well as our management firm,Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. The final con-tract was signed in October 2006 tocontinue working with the capable pro-fessionals of Tony Jannetti as ExecutiveDirector and Cheryl Underhill as

Association Manager. The newly formed SUNA Foundation Board of Trustees under

Ardeth Hale (Chair) is flourishing. Bylaws, a mission statement, alogo, and a promotional brochure have been developed. Severalgrants have been refined and awarded. The first major fundrais-ing event was a Silent Auction held at the 2007 AnnualConference.

For the first time SUNA has funded two separate researchprojects in 1 year, distributing the entire budgeted $40,000.SUNA-funded research has blossomed under Joyce Colling’s tute-lage. The second installment was paid for the continued study of“A Randomized Trial to Compare an Exercise Program on Kegelsvs. Kegels Augmented with the Feminine Trainer in Women withSUI.”

SUNA’s national meetings continue to be a success with theFourth Annual Symposium under Leslie Wooldridge’s capableleadership in Colorado Springs. Debbie Buback and her commit-tee planned another outstanding Annual Conference. SUNA hasappointed new course directors for the ongoing courses ofUrodynamics (Melissa Morrison) and Certification Review(Donna Brassil).

The American Urological Association (AUA) sectional meet-ings combined with the Western and Northeast SUNA chapters.Nancy Mueller and Dr. Brandon Fox continue as liaisons to theirrespective organizations. Collaborative planning has continuedwith myself, Tamara Dickinson, and Jeff Albaugh presenting atthe AUA meeting as well as meeting with the AUA leadership andeducation director.

International collaboration continues as Tamara Dickinsonattended the International Continence Society (ICS) meeting inNew Zealand. Jeff Albaugh presented at both the British andAustralian Urology Nursing Association meetings. Their respec-tive presidents, Tom Ladds and Gordon Frith, attended theAnnual Conference in Phoenix to participate in the internation-al consortium.

On the legislative front, SUNA has endorsed positions andnotified members of pending legislative changes under PennyNoto as chair. SUNA was invited and represented by myself at the

Saundra Seidel

National Institutes of Health (NIH) open house meeting for com-ments relating to future funding. SUNA has recommendedBarbara Zoltick for appointment to the Federal Healthy People2020 advisory committee.

The newly developed strategic plan has given guidance formany task forces to accomplish much. The Spinal CordInjury/Urodynamics resource guide has taken some time underSue Butcher’s leadership as there is nothing like this currentlyavailable, and the group has had to create this resource. TheEducation Assessment Task Force, under chair Jean Lewis’ andSally Russell’s guidance, will give SUNA direction in the future.The patient Web tab has opened and is continuing to be devel-oped with Vic Senese and Todd Lockhart. The Long-TermCare/Advanced Practice Nursing Task Force organized in Marchand will be giving SUNA recommendations in long-term care.The Inpatient/Outpatient SIG is working on a retention guidelinewith Janelle Harris and Pam Ceo. New appointments includeNancy Mueller as Historian, Barbara Broome as Research Liaison,and Helen Rittenmeyer as Sacral Nerve Stimulation SIG leader.

I would like to thank the entire Board for the support andteam effort that they devote to SUNA. I especially appreciateCheryl Underhill for her daily focus and knowledge of the orga-nization. My gratitude goes to Jeff Albaugh, my mentor, andTamara Dickinson, my successor, who displayed true synergywith the positive momentum within SUNA. I feel we have madea great start to the new strategic plan and can hardly believe howmuch SUNA accomplished this past year! Thank you all.

Saundra Seidel, APRN-BC, CUCNS, CNORPresident

President-ElectI have continued to participate in

monthly Board of Directors conferencecalls. I have been assigned this past yearas board mentor to Sue Lipsy. This hasbeen a very easy thing since she hasdone an outstanding job as our newtreasurer. I am also the board liaison tothe Annual Symposium planning com-mittee.

In April I was invited to attend theSimon Foundation’s Innovating forContinence meeting. Cheryle Gartley

and her staff put together a tremendously unique program. Onthe first evening Alan Cottenden presented data from the UnitedKingdom’s federally funded study of which absorbent pad/prod-ucts are better. The government is concerned about this becausethey pay for these products for individuals. The next day was ahalf-day workshop on creativity. Next were presentations fromindustry scientists, research lab scientists, and clinicians as well aspatient panels. It was a very different type of meeting than anyother I have attended but was very inspiring.

Also in April I participated in the AUA Basic Urodynamics(UDS) Course. This course had previously been a “loose” partner-ship between SUNA and AUA. For the first time this course met

Tamara Dickinson

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Annual Reports2006-2007

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Uro-Gram November 2007

the ICS recommended 18 hour guidelines under the leadership ofnewly appointed UDS Course Director Melissa Morrison.

In May, Jeff Albaugh, Saundra Seidel, and I presented at theAUA Annual Meeting. In addition, we met with our AUA liaison(Dr. Brendan Fox), AUA executive director (Mike Shepherd), AUApresident (Dr. Lawrence Ross), and AUA president-elect (Dr. PaulSchellhammer).

In August SUNA graciously partially funded my trip to theICS meeting in Rotterdam. I attended the School of Urodynamicsmeeting as well as the Continence Promotion Committee (CPC)meeting. The CPC held another continence awareness focusedhalf-day workshop that was free of charge as well as apublic/patient forum on Saturday following the meeting. Therewere 200 attendees at this forum!

At the 2008 meeting in Cairo there will be a formalannouncement and press release of the recognition of WorldContinence Week. They will be asking other organizations forendorsement of this week (probably to occur some time in early2009). I will be involved with the small organizing group of theCPC as we plan this recognition and will most likely be attendinga CPC meeting in Milan in conjunction with the EuropeanAssociation of Urology (EAU). These are two very important glob-al initiatives being driven by the CPC under the leadership ofchair Diane Newman. A CPC chaired workshop andpublic/patient forum will be held again in Cairo.

The School of Urodynamics has a new director, GordonHosker (United Kingdom), and we met to discuss the future of theSUNA course recognition. We outlined items needed to completethis process, and I will be discussing this with Melissa Morrison sowe can obtain this recognition for our UDS courses.

Tamara Dickinson, RN, CURN, CCCN, BCIA-PMDBPresident-Elect

Immediate Past PresidentIt has been my great privilege to con-

tinue to serve as Immediate PastPresident under the dynamic leadershipof Saundra Seidel. It is a great pleasureto work with such a wonderful, caringBoard of Directors. As my time comes toa close, I have to reflect back on somany great accomplishments for SUNA,and I thank everyone who helped moveus forward in so many exciting ways.

One of my primary responsibilitiesthis year was nominations. It was a

pleasure to work with my nominating committee, which includ-ed Nancy Mueller and Julia Bowens. I believe we had an excellentslate of candidates and our newly elected board will be exemplary.

I also attended to my normal responsibilities with board callsand review of policies and procedures. I especially enjoyed talkingwith the chapter presidents to discuss the great things SUNAchapters are doing.

President Seidel asked me to work with the NationalAssociation of Clinical Nurse Specialists to work on recommen-dations for standardizing the training that will take place at thedoctoral level for clinical nurse specialists. I spent the year work-ing on the development of those doctoral education competen-cies. I previously gave input on the recommendations forstandardized training at the master’s level with this organization.

Jeffrey Albaugh

In May I met with other SUNA leaders and AUA leaders todiscuss future collaborative efforts. We will continue to strive towork on collaborative projects to empower patients and healthcare professionals with knowledge about urologic issues. I alsowas the course director for the AUA course, Sexual Dysfunction:Yours, Mine, & Ours.

It has been a great honor and privilege to serve this organi-zation over the past few years. I thank each of you from my heartfor allowing me to be a part of improving urology care for ourpatients!

Jeffrey Albaugh, MS, APRN, CUCNSImmediate Past President

SecretaryI have had the honor and privilege to

serve as secretary for SUNA for the past2 years. It has been a truly great experi-ence and is one that I shall recall withfond memories. During the past year Ihave participated in the Board andExecutive Board monthly conferencecalls/meetings and have submitted theminutes in a timely fashion.

I have served as the liaison to theUro-Gram editor, provided input toSUNA on decisions, reviewed chapter

review forms to determine chapter award recipients, maintainedcontact with each chapter, reviewed my assigned policies andprocedures, and completed all assigned tasks.

It was a pleasure to review each chapter review form. It isexciting to see all the things that each chapter is contributing tothe profession and to the community. After considerable deliber-ation and in collaboration with the incoming secretary, eightchapters were selected to receive awards. However, every chapterdeserves to be honored for the difference each makes in urologiccare.

I assisted in the evaluation of the proposal submitted for theYoung Investigator Research Program (YIRP) funding. I alsochaired the student task force and will transition into the role ofresearch liaison.

Serving as secretary has been an honor, and I appreciate thisopportunity. I am grateful to be a member of this professional andscholarly organization committed to improving urologic health.

Barbara Broome, PhD, RN, CNSSecretary

Barbara Broome

CelebrateUrology Nurses

and Associates WeekNovember 1-7, 2007For more information, go to

www.suna.org

TreasurerSUNA’s fiscal year began April 1, 2007,

and runs through March 2008. Ourannual audit took place June 2007. Intheir opinion, the statements of assets,liabilities, balance funds and income taxbasis as of March 31, 2007 and 2006 allpresented fairly.

SUNA continues to have a strongand promising financial future. At theend of the first 5 months operating withour 2007-08 budget the following wasrecorded:

Total Assets $1,345,325.90

Total Liabilities $93,784.08

Year to Date Revenue $653,762.66

Year to Date Expenses $421,480.25

Difference of $231,922.41

Our new investment firm, Dain Rauscher has continued toadvise our organization on smart investment choices. The Boardwas fortunate to have Louis Monnoleto, Financial Consultant,present investment options at the annual Board meeting inPhoenix. These recommendations will be discussed and consid-ered for the upcoming year.

During my first year as treasurer, there have been many excit-ing projects that were funded. The spectacular poster for UrologyNurses Week was funded for $3,525.

Likewise, SUNA has made a commitment to translate themost commonly used fact sheets into Spanish. Each sheet willcost $60 with completion of the project expected early in 2008.

This year I was very fortunate to be involved in the forma-tion of the SUNA Foundation. The Foundation was created tofund urologic nursing research and provide support for nursingeducation. I am pleased to report that the Foundation is close toand will most likely exceed it’s budgeted revenue of $18,000 forthis fiscal year.

With the growing concern of limited industry funds and cor-porate sponsorships, SUNA has taken a very proactive approachand will continue to explore innovative options to gain revenue.Executive Director Tony Jannetti has continued to lead our orga-nization to the necessary resources to continue to secure ourfinancial future. We welcome each and every one of your ideas.

This year has been one of the most exciting years for SUNA.I am very honored to have all of your trust in overseeing our orga-nization’s financial stability. Likewise, I am proud to be given theopportunity to serve another year and I am dedicated to contin-uing to maintain SUNA’s financial security with all of your sup-port.

Susan Lipsy, APRN-BC, CUNPTreasurer

Susan Lipsy

PublicationsUro-Gram

I have been the editor of the Uro-Gram for 6 years now andcan look back at some positive growth over that period of time.When I first became editor, this newsletter was 12 pages and notfull color as it is today. Even at 12 pages, we sometimes strug-gled to fill the pages with copy. I am happy to report that we nolonger have that problem. Now at 16 pages, we always have afull issue and frequently hold articles for future issues whenthere isn’t room in the current one. I have tried to incorporatemore photos from chapter activities to give a real grassroots fla-vor to the issues. Our Member Spotlight focuses on a memberwho shines at the chapter level. I believe these help memberssee that the strength of SUNA is at the chapter level. My goal asthe editor has been to make the newsletter interesting FORmembers because it is ABOUT members.

As we complete another year, I want to thank the Board ofDirectors for their support; Managing Editor Kathy Thomas andthe staff of Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc., for their talent in makingthe newsletter look beautiful; and the contributors who diligent-ly meet deadlines so that the Uro-Gram goes to press on time.

Evey Kliever, MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURNEditor

Urologic NursingVolume 27 for 2007 has included 345 pages with printing of

the first four issues (through August). The February issue was a spe-cial issue focused on Women’s Health. The October issue was a spe-cial focus issue on Poverty and Human Development. UrologicNursing was one of over 230 international medical, nursing, and sci-ence journals that published articles on this topic. Visit the Councilof Science Editors Web site (http://www.councilscienceeditors.org/globalthemeissue.cfm) for a complete list of participating journals. Aspecial event was held October 22, 2007, on the National Institutesof Health (NIH) campus to publicize the event. The December andthird special issue for 2007 will focus on prostate cancer. Planningfor manuscripts into mid-2008 has been completed.

The regular columns continue to include Infectious Dis-EASE(by Carol Weber), Try This (from Hartford Foundation),Professional Enhancement (by CBUNA Board), Abstracts/Issues (byPeggy Ward-Smith), Medication Minute (by Michelle Lajiness),Complementary and Preventive Medicine (by Mark Moyad),Translating Evidence into Clinical Practice (by Cynthia Sublett),and a new column by Barbara Broome entitled Culture andDiversity Issues.

Current Editorial Board members include Jane Hawks (Editor),Christine Bradway, Kaye Gaines, Jan Giroux, Angela Joseph, KarenKarlowicz, and Susanne Quallich. Ken Thomas, Managing Editor;Carol Ford, Editorial Coordinator; Sally Russell, ContinuingEducator Director, and the staff at Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc., havehelped make Urologic Nursing better each year.

Three literary awards were presented at the Awards Luncheonin Phoenix in October. Cheryl LeCroy and Karen Sasso received theCatherine-Ann Lawrence Literary Excellence Award, and Jo AnnKleier received the Novice Literary Excellence Award for 2006-2007.

Jane Hokanson Hawks, DNSc, RN, BCEditor

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EducationAnnual Conference. Debbie Buback

and the planning committee are proudof the sessions they planned for SUNA’s2007 Annual Conference in Phoenix.They hope that attendees providedevaluations that reflect the timelinessand importance of the topics. The com-mittee’s desire to offer something for allconstituents of our specialty was a dri-ving force in the preparation for thisevent. The committee deserve thanksfor the amount of effort and caring they

put into the conference planning and implementation process.Annual Symposium. The 2008 Annual Symposium plan-

ning committee met in Philadelphia and worked diligently tocompile a program that will address the educational needs ofadvanced practice colleagues as well as one that will be relevantto all SUNA constituents. At the time of this writing, speakers arebeing finalized and the program brochure is being developed.This event will continue SUNA’s tradition of hosting tremen-dously energetic meetings that feature current and “hot” topicsbeing covered by experts in their fields. The meeting will be heldFebruary 28 through March 2 at the Tampa Waterside Hotel andMarina in Tampa, FL.

Approver Unit. The Approver Unit has done a masterful jobof maintaining the integrity of SUNA’s accredited approver status.Deni von Merveldt and the reviewers continue to review andrevise policies as we become more comfortable with interpretingthe ANCC criteria that were released earlier this year. Deni andthe reviewers are constantly looking for ways to make this a more“user friendly” process. The time to complete reviews can beextensive, and these reviewers bend over backwards to assistapplicants who need things done quickly. Deni deserves thanksfor the amount of work she does with applicants who have defi-ciencies. She doesn’t just tell them they need to submit othermaterials; she gives them examples on what they need to do to beable to meet the criteria.

Journal Continuing Education Articles. The UrologicNursing Editorial Board continue to be great advocates for urolog-ic patients, working with authors to provide articles that are time-ly and useful for members and colleagues. I continue to workwith them to assure compliance with ANCC criteria. I recentlymet with Editor Jane Hokanson Hawks, and we continue to lookfor ways to increase the number of contact hours our colleaguesand members can earn using the journal.

Sally Russell, MN, CMSRN, CPPEducation Director

Sally Russell

Approver UnitThe activities of the Approver Unit for

2007 are as follows:• 42 educational activities for a total of

164.25 contact hours have beenreviewed and approved.

• 4 activities are currently undergoingreview for a total of 25 contact hours.

• 12 of the approved programs havebeen repeated following SUNA’snotification procedure.

• There are currently 9 active reviewerson the Approver Unit, half of whom

have graduate education and/or are advanced practice nurses.We are currently in need of one more reviewer and are opento any interested SUNA member who meets the criteria ofhaving a BSN, being a SUNA members for 2 years, and havingsome experience in the planning of educational programs.Although CBUNA certification is preferred, it is not required.

Issues. While the quality of the applications has remainedexcellent, there has been a noticeable increase in requirements foradministrative support specifically as follows:

• Applicants have requested from SUNA a copy of theirsubmitted documents for the purpose of responding to theApprover Unit’s review of their CE application.

• Some applicants have submitted their applications to thenational office in piecemeal fashion, which requires increasedeffort in communication and updating of files.

• These situations have required time, effort, and funds (e.g.,faxing 50 pages of an application) so that adjustments in feeshave been deemed necessary along with an added statementthat the applying provider will be responsible for any costlinked to service outside of the usual and customary activity.

The ANCC decision not to allow approval of co-provided con-tinuing education has created a need to re-examine the criteria foridentifying a corporate versus individual (non-corporate) provider. Asuggestion has been made to use the IRS definition of an individualwho makes greater than $600 per program as being in the corporatecategory. This would apply to an individual and not a SUNA chap-ter.

Although a formal audit plan of Approver Unit files has not yetbeen implemented, the ANCC performed an audit of selected filesthis past summer. Results will be forthcoming.

We have begun capturing the amount of time required to com-plete CE reviews for such uses as soliciting new reviewers and eval-uating Approver Unit support requirements (e.g., number ofreviewers). To date this year (from May through August 2007)reviewers have spent over 15 hours reviewing CE applications, aver-aging 25 minutes/contact hour.

Over the past year, many ANCC changes have been incorpo-rated into the CE approval process from basing the contact hour on60 minutes to revisions in the wording and formatting of the ANCCstatement. Applicants have met the challenge of negotiating thesechanges with excellent educational programs and positive respons-es to guidance.

Deni von Merveldt, MSN, RNChairperson

Deni von Merveldt

Committees

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HistoryDuring the past 6 years, the history of SUNA has been

compiled starting with the formation of AUAA in 1972. Anumber of artifacts have been collected and exhibited at theAnnual Conferences.

The history by the years has been completed with just afew closing paragraphs for Saundra Seidel’s term. This will becomplete as soon as all of the annual awards have beenannounced. It has been a trip down memory lane compiling asmany facts as possible. All of the historical memorabilia, pro-grams, etc., will be in the very capable hands of Nancy Mueller.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to provide our organiza-tion with a written history, all 35 years of it. It’s been a pleasure.

Ardeth Hale, CURNChairperson

ResearchI have continued to assist in reviewing abstracts for SUNA’s

national meetings. I participated in the research networkingsession at the Annual Symposium. I also reviewed several man-uscripts for Urologic Nursing.

Young Investigators’ Research Program (YIRP).Investigators for a research study funded in 2006 (MargaretHull et al.) continue to make satisfactory progress and hope toreport their research findings at the Annual Symposium in theSpring.

In 2007 SUNA funded “The Impact of IncontinenceExperiential Learning on Professional Nursing Practice” (KarenKarlowicz). This project was approved for 1 year of funding at$20,000.

Experienced Investigator Program (EIP). In 2007SUNA funded “A Two Part Study of the Relationship ofInterstitial Cystitis to Vulvodynia” (Donna Carrico). This is thefirst project that has been funded under the EIP. The projectwas approved for $20,000 of funding for the first year of thestudy with funds coming directly from SUNA. There is a con-tinuing effort to find outside funding for this project.

SUNA Foundation. I am very pleased to have theFoundation as a structure for SUNA’s research programs. Theelection of officers and addition of industry members to theBoard of Trustees is a positive step toward a secure future. TheSilent Auction at the Annual Conference in Phoenix is also afirst with the proceeds going toward the research program.

Joyce Colling, PhD, RN, FAANResearch Liaison

Web SiteSUNA’s Web site continues to be the portal of information

for members. The Web site also will become the portal of infor-mation for our patients, with the introduction of our newpatient Web tab. As chairperson of the task force to create aSUNA patient education area accessible via the SUNA Web site,I would like to express my gratitude to the following membersof the Chicago Metro SUNA Chapter: Jeff Albaugh, Katy Bortel,Mary Heneghan, Kathy Marchese, Ginger Lewis, and LindaWilliams. This hard-working group reviewed our currentpatient education materials for appropriateness to use in thisnew Web area, reviewed other medical/nursing Web sites fordesign ideas, and constructed a template to send to SUNA’sWebmaster. Todd Lockhart did a great job in following ourgoals in constructing a great looking addition to our currentWeb site.

Last year I introduced a new area to the Web site called AtYour Chapter. This is an area where chapters can send infor-mation about their activities to be posted on the SUNA Website. The Chapter News section has continued to do very well.Chapter presidents continue to send information about theirlocal chapters for posting. The list of chapters with their ownWeb sites has grown to five this year, and the SUNA homepageallows members to easily visit these chapter Web sites.

Cindy Dobmeyer-Dittrich, the leader of the Sacral NerveStimulation (SNS) Special Interest Group for SUNA, requestedthe establishment of a SNS message board on the SUNA Website for clinical updates, networking, and troubleshooting. Weare exploring this possibility.

Future Goals. I plan to enlist the help of the ChicagoMetro Chapter to continue their work on the patient Web area.We need to incorporate new patient education materials aswell as review healthful Web sites and create links to these forour patients. We also need to advertise the existence of thisnew Web area so that members can share this resource withtheir patients. I would like to see SUNA as the first site patientsgo to for answers about their urologic problems.

Sue Lipsy asked myself and Mary Anne Wasner to join herin developing a Web site tab for membership to highlightSUNA’s membership benefits and dues structure. That’s the excit-ing thing about this job – making people’s dreams a reality.

Vic Senese, RN, CURNWeb Editor

PPaattiieenntt RReessoouurrcceess AAvvaaiillaabbllee oonn SSUUNNAA WWeebb SSiittee

In keeping with SUNA’s commitment to promote excel-lence through education of patients and the community,SUNA recently launched an Online Patient InformationResource Center, which is accessible via the SUNA Website. Simply go to www.suna.org and click on the red “ForPatients” tab at the top of the home page. Patients canlearn more about SUNA and access all of SUNA’s PatientEducation Fact Sheets. Be sure to tell your patientsabout this new online resource!

24/7 at my house if it were up to me! Having people inour home for planned or often impromptu gatherings,typically centered around food, is very common. A groupof friends from our church (we call ourselves the “PartyCircuit”) and our neighbors are the usual suspects.

I joined SUNA in 1994. I have served in a variety ofroles but am thrilled and deeply honored to serve you inthis role over the next year. I also encourage you to feelfree to contact me.Tamara Dickinson, RN, CURN, CCCN, BCIA-PMDB

Home email: cheftam1@yahoo.comHome phone: 817-453-3443

Work email: tamara.dickinson@utsouthwestern.eduWork phone: 214-645-8787

President’s Messagecontinued from page 1

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Uro-Gram November 2007

Advanced PracticeThe email forum discussion has not been busy lately, but

maybe that has something to do with that wonderful time of theyear when most of us take a vacation. We have had a few discus-sions, however, on the following subjects:

• the role of the NP and performing cystoscopies in the officesetting

• evidence-based practice with silver coated cathetersJoin us! Simply email me to have your name added to the

roster.Connie Whitesell, MSN, CCCN, RN, CNP

SIG Leader

Continence Specialists & Services

It has been my pleasure to serve as SIG leader since January2005. As in 2005 and 2006, I continue to receive questions fromthe Web site. They generally are from nurses who have questionsabout protocol and policy or from individuals who are strugglingwith a urinary issue. Both groups are searching for resources thatI believe we help them find.

I was happy to participate in the program, Current Trendsin Urologic Health Care, at the SUNA New England RegionalMeeting, which was organized by Jane Berlew, New EnglandChapter President, on March 31, 2007. I was pleased to give apresentation sponsored by Colpexin on their various pelvicfloor support products.

Martha Klay, MSN, RN, APRNSIG Leader

ESWL / OR / CystoMany new things have occurred throughout the year with

our SIG. First and foremost, the Cysto Room Survival Manual hasbeen published and is available for purchase. Marie Page and Iprovided a hands-on workshop as a concurrent session at thisyear’s Annual Conference. The session, which was filled tocapacity, was designed to help the first-time OR/cysto or officenurse recognize the instruments that are used, understand whythey are used, and learn how to assemble the equipment.

We continue to receive questions regarding cleaningscopes. I tell individuals about the new manual and also referthem to the manufacturers’ guidelines. I also have referredmany to the SUNA Web site regarding Foley catheter insertionsand care. Many have responded that they have found usefulinformation on the site.

Questions concerning the chemotherapy drug, mito-mycin, have arisen. Due to the toxicity of the drug and theneed for proper disposal, I share what we do at our hospital butstrongly suggest that individuals write a policy and procedureso that they will be within their scope of practice.

Thank you again for this opportunity to serve the SUNAorganization.

Fran Foley BS, RN, CURNSIG Leader

Inpatient / OutpatientIt has been our pleasure to serve as co-leaders for the SIG

over the last year. We have continued to field multiple emailinquiries related to the inpatient and outpatient urologic set-tings. Common questions presented to our group related tourinary retention, placing a Foley catheter and the manage-ment of a post void residual, and whether the catheter shouldbe clamped during insertion. After identifying that this was acommon question posed to our group we convened a task forceto work on an evidence-based fact sheet to address this issue. Ibelieve this will be a wonderful resource for our members inthe future. The task force consists of Janelle Harris, Pam Ceo,Joan Gilianelli, Rita Yee, Beth Tummaro, and Latsamy Hilliard.

The SIG met at the Annual Conference in Phoenix onOctober 15. This was a time for members to network and dis-cuss common topics of concern. We will follow up with theBoard on any common issues or concerns that arose at thismeeting.

We are proud to be SUNA members and feel privileged toserve the organization in this capacity. We look forward to theyear ahead and completing the development of a factsheet/clinical practice guideline on urinary retention and postvoid residual management. I believe this tool will be a won-derful resource for members and will help to improve the careof urologic patients in the inpatient/outpatient setting.

Janelle Harris, NP, MSN, CUNPOutpatient SIG Leader

Pam Ceo, NP, MSN, CUNPInpatient SIG Leader

Sacral Nerve StimulationCurrently, there are 265 members in the Sacral Nerve

Stimulation (SNS) SIG. This membership comprises approxi-mately 40% SUNA members and 60% nonmembers. Duringthe 2 years since the SIG was created, multiple nonmembershave joined SUNA because of their SIG involvement.

The SIG held a meeting in March prior to the start ofSUNA’s Annual Symposium in Colorado Springs, CO. Duringthat meeting we finalized the format for the SNS Fact Sheet anddiscussed current issues related to SNS. Two presentations weremade at the conference related to SNS. Michelle Lajiness pre-sented a session on programming of complex InterStim®

patients, while myself and Ragi Doggweiler presented a sessionon the use of adjunct therapies for the management of ICpatients.

In April I presented a program at the annual ChicagoMetro SUNA Conference on the use of InterStim for patientswith overactive bladder. In July we discussed the potential ofdevelopment of a CE program on SNS to serve as an introduc-tion to clinicians. Medtronic expressed interest in sponsoringthis project, which is expected to be utilized at regional SUNAmeetings by members familiar with the therapy. Currently thisproject is on hold pending consultation from the EducationDirector.

Glenn Sulley was contacted by the Canadian version ofSUNA and presented a program there on SNS. In August the

Special Interest Groups

Uro-GramNovember 2007

9

Sacral Nerve Stimulation Fact Sheet was approved by the SUNABoard of Directors. In October the first preconference course onSNS was offered at SUNA’s Annual Conference in Phoenix.During the SIG meeting held at the conference, we discussedour progress in meeting annual goals and objectives andlooked toward the future. Helen Rittenmeyer was introduced asthe next SIG leader.

Cindy Dobmeyer-Dittrich, BSN, CURNSIG Leader

UrodynamicsThe most frequent question asked by SUNA members is if

a physician needs to be present during urodynamics testing. Iplan on addressing the Medicare guidelines in an upcomingissue of the Uro-Gram.

Ruth Shields, RNSIG Leader

SUNA FoundationAt the close of the 2006 Annual Conference, SUNA

President Saundra Seidel appointed six individuals as trusteesand assigned them to create a foundation complete with a mis-sion statement and bylaws. These six people were DottieCalabrese, Jean Lewis, Joyce Colling, Nancy Mueller, TonyJannetti, and Ardeth Hale. A mission statement was completedalmost immediately. The bylaws were then written and

approved by the SUNA Board of Directors. The majority of thework has been accomplished through email and conferencecalls.

Almost immediately after the news about the SUNAFoundation and the Silent Auction was released to the Website, we received requests for funding. Funding was provided tothe Simon Foundation to help bring a nurse to the SimonFoundation INNOVATIONS program. Requests for ResearchFunding have been received and approved. Life-Tech has pro-vided SUNA with another scholarship for SUNA members.Additional donations have been received to support theFoundation’s mission.

A brochure describing the goals and mission of theFoundation was available for distribution at the AnnualConference. The brochure also provides a form for makingdonations.

In May Carolina Facciani, Product Manager of Astra Tech,became our first trustee from the industry. In September LarryHeinemann, Executive Vice President of Global Sales forUroplasty, Inc., became our second trustee representing theindustry. We now have a complete Board of Trustees compris-ing six SUNA members and two industry representatives.

Through collaboration, cooperation. and effort, the SUNABoard of Trustees is proud to say that the Silent Auction wassuccessful. We will be publishing totals in the January issue ofthe Uro-Gram. You also will be given an update on the Board ofTrustees’ business meeting held in Phoenix during the 2007Annual Conference.

Ardeth Hale, CURNSUNA Foundation Chair & Trustee

2007 Corporate MembersA-Med Health Care

Adamed, Inc.

AmeriPath

Astra Tech, Inc.

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, LP

Boehringer IngelheimPharmaceuticals, Inc.

Coloplast Corporation

Cook Medical

Dale Medical Products, Inc.

Duraline Medical Products, Inc.

Ethicon Women’s Health & Urology

Gyrus ACMI

HDIS (Home Delivery IncontinentSupplies Company)

Hollister Incorporated

Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Karl Storz Endoscopy-America, Inc.

Laborie Medical

Liberty Medical Supply

Life-Tech, Inc.

Medtronic

Novartis Oncology

Olympus Surgical America

Organon USA Inc.

Ortho Women’s Health & Urology

Pfizer, Inc.

Procter & GamblePharmaceuticals

Rochester Medical Corporation

sanofi pasteur

T-DOC Company, LLC

TAP Pharmaceutical Products, Inc.

Thought Technology Ltd.

UroMed, Inc.

VIVUS, Inc.

10

Uro-Gram November 2007

SoutheastThis newsletter edition will rep-

resent an end to my term asSoutheast Regional Director. Ithas been such a pleasure for meto work with all 13 chapters inthe Southeast over these past 2years! I am constantly impressedwith what is being accomplishedat the local chapter level to repre-sent our SUNA organization.Everyone involved at the localchapter level is to be commendedfor all your hard work and effortsto serve our members at large.

I am thrilled to move into my next place on the SUNABoard, which is serving as your national secretary. I want tointroduce your new Southeast Regional Director: Lee AnnBoyd, MSN, ARNP, CUNP. Lee Ann is from the FloridaSunshine Chapter where she serves as vice president andhas been a recognized speaker at the national level. She willbring her leadership and expertise to this position to serveyou well.

Here is a glimpse of what the Southeast chapters areplanning this fall.

The Central Oklahoma Chapter led by PresidentGenevieve Zerger is located in Oklahoma City. This chap-ter recently branched out with members in Tulsa for a sum-mer dinner gathering. For more information aboutupcoming chapter events, contact Genevieve atgenzer@cox.net.

Randee Regan is president of the Greater HoustonChapter. She is planning to hold a dinner program thisfall. If you live in the Houston area and are interested ingetting involved with this chapter, contact Randee(randeereg@aol.com, 713-436-9386).

The president of the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth(DFW) Chapter is Allison Ahrens Beaver. The chaptersponsors an Annual Urology Symposium each fall that offerscontact hours. The fourth annual event is set for November3 at the Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie, TX. If you live in theDFW metroplex, you won’t want to miss it! If you are inter-ested in getting involved with this chapter, contact Allison(allison.beaver@utsouthwestern.edu, 214-645-8787).

The Florida Sunshine Chapter under the leader-ship of President Cindy McLean reports that their SixthAnnual Fall Seminar is set for November 10 at the HyattSarasota located on Sarasota Bay. The conference will offer6.0 contact hours with lunch included! If you would like

Debbie Hensley

RegionalNewsRegional

News

more information about this active chapter, contact Cindyat cmclean456@comcast.net.

Mark your calendar now! FranBryant reports that the ResearchTriangle Chapter is alreadymaking plans for their AnnualSpring Conference to be held onMarch 15, 2008, in Wilmington,NC. Gail Fuller assumed the officeof chapter president in October.Fran, congratulations on a verysuccessful presidency these past 2years! Fran will remain on thechapter board as educational pro-gram director and will be planninganother series of dinner programswith contact hours soon. If youwould like more information onchapter events, contact Fran( b r y a n 0 1 1 @ m c . d u k e . e d u .bfbryant52@hotmail.com) or Gail(gpfuller@verizon.net).

The San Antonio Alamo Chapter is led byPresident Myra Gonzales. The chapter held another suc-cessful dinner program via live Webcast on August 30.Overview of Urinary Retention was presented by DianeNewman, MSN, RNC, CRNP, FAAN. The event, which wassponsored by Coloplast, drew 16 attendees. The chapterhas already set the agenda for their 16th Annual Seminar:The Cutting Edge of Urology to be held on April 5, 2008. Theevent will be held at the Radisson Hotel Downtown MarketSquare and will offer 6.0 contact hours. If you would likemore details regarding this chapter, contact Myra(gonzalesm3@uthscsa.edu) or check out the chapter Website at www.alamosuna.org.

The Magnolia Chapter located in New Orleans is ledby President Rachel Franz. Rachel reports that the chapterheld their Annual Fall Urology Nursing Potpourri at theOchsner Medical Center on October 27. If you would liketo get involved with this chapter, contact Rachel atrfranz@ochsner.org.

The West Texas Whirlwinds Chapter under thedirection of President Stacy Norwood is located inLubbock, TX. The chapter hosts several dinner programsthroughout the year. If you would like more informationregarding upcoming activities, contact Stacy atstacynorwood88@yahoo.com.

Rocky Mountain Chapter President Carolyn Northreports that the chapter held a dinner program inSeptember at Strings Restaurant. Sponsored by TAPPharmaceuticals, the program was entitled Prostate Cancer,Diagnosis, and Management. In October Watson sponsoreda dinner program in Colorado Springs. The chapter isworking hard to reach out and broaden their contact withpotential members in order to bring educational programsto all areas in the chapter. Watch for a dinner programcoming to your area or contact Carolyn(carolyn7176@comcast.net) for more information onfuture events.

The Florida Treasure Coast Chapter President isColleen Layton. The chapter is looking for new members

Glenda Wilkinson is anactive member of theResearch Triangle Chapterwho was featured in theMember Spotlight article inthe September 2007 issue ofthe Uro-Gram. Her picturewas inadvertently omittedfrom that article.

Uro-Gram

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November 2007

to join them this year. If you are interested in gettinginvolved or want more information, contact Colleen atteltale445@yahoo.com.

The Razorback Chapter located in Little Rock, AR,is led by Jody Purifoy. Plans are underway for the chapter’snext annual conference to be held this Fall. If you wouldlike more information about this upcoming conference,contact Jody (jodypurifoy@sbcglobal.net,purifoyjodya@uams.edu).

Congratulations to the Central Florida Chapter ledby Dee Parkes in Orlando. The chapter was granted affiliatechapter status in August. Congratulations to Dee and herboard members for a very successful first year! Dee reportsthat their Second Annual Conference is planned for April2008. Stay tuned for more details. For more informationregarding this chapter, contact Dee at dparkes@cfl.rr.com

The North Louisiana Chapter located in theShreveport area is under the leadership of Malinda Whitfield.The chapter held their first educational conference at theShreveport Convention Center on November 3.Congratulations to Malinda and her committee for gettingthis newest chapter in the Southeast off to a great start! If youwould like more information on upcoming meetings andevents, contact Malinda at mwhitfield@regionalurology.com.

Local chapters are an important avenue for promotingSUNA membership, providing quality educational pro-grams, and networking. I look forward to my new role asnational secretary and serving each chapter in our organi-zation. I would like to extend my best wishes to all SUNAmembers for an enjoyable and fulfilling relationship withSUNA.

Debbie Hensley, RNOutgoing Southeast Regional Director

hensleyd@uthscsa.edu

NortheastMembers of the Northeast

Region have been busy gettingchildren back into school, gettingmembers adjusted to their ownschool schedules, and orientingnew officers to their positions inseveral chapters.

We are pleased to announcethat the Upstate New YorkChapter under the leadership ofPresident Linda Davis, FNP-C, isofficially an active chapter ofSUNA. Congratulations to all themembers of this chapter.

Northeastern Pennsylvania has a new interim pres-ident: Mary Emmett, CURN, RNFA. Mary took over the pres-idency when Jeff Guse became the Assistant RegionalDirector for our region. Mary is acclimating to her new roleand planning a meeting for later this Fall.

The Southern New England Chapter also has a rel-atively new president: Mary Roche, MSN, APRN. Mary is try-ing to recruit some new members to the chapter and islooking forward to planning some educational programsthis year.

Valre Welch

Northern New Jersey also has a new chapter presi-dent: Fran Stauber, RN, CURN. Four chapter members – JoanColella, Bernadette Galli, Sylvia Gallardo, and Eileen Kochis– presented Female Sexual Dysfunction at the AnnualConference in Phoenix. Congratulations! We are alwaysproud to recognize members who share their knowledgewith others.

The Tidewater Chapter, under the direction ofPresident Kim Ramsey, is planning an educational meetingduring Urology Nurses and Associates Week in November.

Central Virginia President Cheryl LeCroy and herchapter presented a very successful all-day educational sem-inar on September 22. They had an excellent turnout withmembers coming from several chapters. The conference cov-ered several topics, including “Urologic Medications” pre-sented by Linda Waterworth, MS, RN, CNP; “Dealing withHot Flashes in Men and Women” by Linda Waterworth andDonna Pinnell, WHCNP; and “Bladder Cancer Treatments,Prostate Cancer Treatments, and Herbal Therapies inUrology” presented by several local urologists.

The Syracuse and Central New York Chaptersunder the leadership of Presidents Amy LoPresti, RN, andMaureen Kiernan, RN, NP, hosted a combined meeting withthe Northeast Section of the American UrologicalAssociation (AUA) in Rochester, NY, on September 6-9. Theyhad an excellent meeting on September 8 with presentationsby several urologists on topics such as bladder cancer,radiofrequency ablation-cryosurgery, nonsurgical approachto genitourinary oncology, and genitourinary trauma. AmyLoPresti, RN; Gina Brothers, RN, NP; and Susan Lipsy, MSN,RN, CUNP, presented “The Management of PatientsUndergoing Robotic, Laparoscopic, and CryosurgicalProcedures.” Congratulations to all three on an excellentpresentation.

We were delighted to see so many members from theNortheast Region at the Annual Conference in Phoenix.

Valre Welch, MSN, RN, CPNPNortheast Regional Director

vswelch@hughes.net

WesternFall is here. At this time of year

many chapter presidents arethinking about and planningchapter offerings. Chapter activi-ties have been nothing short offantastic for the last 3 years that Ihave been proud to be theWestern Regional Director. Pleasesupport your chapters and offi-cers. If you haven’t been veryinvolved in your chapter butwould like to be, contact your cur-rent president or me and let usknow what you would like to do.

The Portland Chapter and President Lane Biag, RN,CURN, worked very hard this past year and provided an awe-some Urology Spring Conference 2007. Lane has been a won-derful president, but his term is ending and he is looking forsomeone to take over this active chapter. I look forward to

Donna Clar

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Uro-Gram November 2007

whomever decides to step up to continue his good work.Southern California Chapter President Julie

Limfueco, RN, provided two exceptional offerings for thechapter this Spring. She has plans for another event inNovember.

Northern California Co-Presidents Jan Jensen, RN,and Linda Adams, LVN, have once again enjoyed a busyyear. In Spring they hosted a well-attended Second AnnualUrodynamics Day at the Silverado in Napa, CA. This was sowell received the first year that they decided to do it againin addition to planning a wonderful WSAUA/SUNA meet-ing in Maui.

Utah Chapter President Edith Acey, MA, is lookingfor someone to take over this chapter. If you are interested,let Edith or myself know.

The Yakima Chapter is alive and thriving! I attend-ed their Urology Potpourri Conference in the Spring. ChapterPresident Cindie Neufeld, RN, and her chapter membershave a great chapter going in this beautiful area ofWashington. I look forward to their future endeavors.

Linda Sabre, MSN, RNP, CUNP, president of theArizona Chapter, worked long and hard with severalchapter members to provide the SUNA portion of theWSAUA/SUNA meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. Topics included:Interstitial Cystitis; Urinary Diversion; CryoablationTreatment for Prostate Cancer; Overactive Bladder: UrologyUpdate; “Have Bug, Will Travel:” Understanding andPreventing MRSA Transmission in the Healthcare Setting;Traditional Indian Medicine: Indian Cowboys, Horses, andWater; Love and Logic Techniques for MedicalProfessionals: Getting Colleagues to Become Responsible,Respectful, and Resilient; and Treating Overactive Bladderby History vs. Using Diagnostic Urodynamics.

It is always a lot of work to put on the Western Sectionmeetings, but we are so happy that the Western RegionAUA continues to support our efforts. We also are proud tosupport them as the nurses who often are the front line –partners in care for all of our patients.

The Montana Chapter has only 12 members, andPresident Debbie Johnson, LPN, keeps trying to pull themtogether. Hopefully, we will have more news from thischapter soon.

After nearly a year of work, Jean Dearn, BSN, CURNand other members in Seattle, WA, have been grantedprobationary status as a new chapter. Jean has done a lot ofwork in the last year putting on educational dinner offer-ings for her prospective members, and now it’s official!Please join me in congratulating Jean (chapter president)and welcoming these members into our SUNA family asthe new Seattle Chapter.

My term as Western Regional Director will be comingto an end this year. Start thinking about whether youwould like to serve in this role. You don’t necessarily needany experience, just the desire to do something positive forSUNA. The Board of Directors will guide you, and you willlearn a lot. It’s a wonderful experience!

Donna Clar, MSN/MBA, RN, CRRNWestern Regional Director

donna.clar@va.gov

North CentralWelcome to the leaders of the

North Central Region. The newNorth Central Regional Directoris Amy Driscoll. She is a past pres-ident of the Upper MidwestChapter. Debbie Buback, a pastpresident of the MississippiValley Chapter, will serve asAssistant Regional Director. Thefollowing individuals will serveas chapter leaders this year:

Mary Anne Wasner

The ESWL / OR/ Cysto SIG was posed a questionthat I would like your help with: What is the max-imum amount of pressure that can be givenfor the pressurized saline irrigation withoutcausing trauma to the ureter? Smith’s medicallevel one unit gives 75-300mm/Hg. However, whencalling for information, they said you should nevergo over 350mm/Hg. Does anyone have any infor-mation regarding this question, which was submit-ted by Joann Zrate from Health Alliance inLeominster, MA. Some have stated that it doesn’tmatter as long as you can see while doing theureteroscopy. Please send your thoughts to me and Iwill be able to pass them onto Joanne. I appreciateyour help.

Fran Foley, BS, RN, CURNESWL / OR / Cysto SIG Leader

foleyfpf@yahoo.com

Mississippi ValleyPresident: Jane AckermanPast President: Gina

Gerberding-Powley

Upper Midwestwww.umcsuna.orgPresident: Shirley PeterPast President: Diane Mann

Great Lakeswww.glsuna.comPresident: Silvia MaxwellPast President: Susanne

Quallich

Kansas CityPresident: Beatrice StuckPast President: Janey Rouse

Southeast NebraskaPresident: Yvette NervigPast President: Sue Velasco

Chicago Metrowww.chicagometrosuna.orgPresident: Kathy MarchesePast President: Kay Colella

Refer to the SUNA Web site (www.suna.org) as wellas the chapter Web sites for current information regardingoutstanding educational programs and community events.

Mary Anne Wasner, RN, CURNOutgoing North Central Regional Director

wasnerm@aol.com

Uro-GramNovember 2007

13

The Upper Midwest Chapter celebrated its 35th anniversary at the chapter’sFall Conference in Bloomington, MN. The chapter board gathered to cut thecake following a dinner symposium sponsored by Coloplast. Pictured (fromleft) are Theresa Kolle, Shirley Peter, Diane Mann, Jean Lewis, Amy Driscoll,Mari Olsen, Bobbi Stolpe, Peggy Bryant, Michelle Radke, Judy Kanfield, KikiRogers, Jill Freeman, and Theresa Lesher.

In attendance at the Saturday session of the Upper Midwest Chapter’s FallConference was Lavonne Harthun, the second chapter president from 1976-1977. She is surrounded by other past presidents of the chapter. Pictured(from left are): Theresa Lesher, Jean Lewis, Mary Dierich, Diane Mann (cur-rent president), Lavonne Harthun, Janice Green, Evey Kliever, Mari Olsen,and Amy Driscoll.

This column was created to recog-nize “behind-the-scenes” membersof SUNA who contribute to theorganization and urologic nursingat the grassroots level. If you knowof a member whose service to SUNAdeserves recognition and would liketo highlight his/her contributions inthis column, please contact Uro-Gram Editor Evey Kliever(eveyk@chartermi.net).

SpotlightMember

SpotlightMember

Gina Gerberding-Powley, RN,ANP, has been a urology nurse for13 years and a SUNA member for10 years. She has served on theexecutive board of the MississippiValley Chapter, holding positionsas president-elect (2004-2006),president (2006-2007), and cur-rently immediate past president(2007-2008). Under Gina’s leader-ship, the Mississippi ValleyChapter has increased its mem-bership. As an active recruiter ofnew members, Gina is a Level

Three Champion of SUNA’s “Member Get a MemberCampaign.”

Educating nursing colleagues at the local andnational levels has been an important goal for Gina. Sheorganizes educational programs for the MississippiValley Chapter. SUNA is also fortunate to have Gina asan active member of the Approver Unit as she helpsensure quality education for SUNA members.

Gina completed her undergraduate studies of nurs-ing at the Jewish Hospital College of Nursing and AlliedHealth. She continued her studies and completed hermaster’s degree in nursing with a specialization as anAdult Nurse Practitioner in May 2004. She is a memberof the Sigma Theta Tau Honor Society of Nursing. Gina’sexpertise is the treatment of female urologic conditions,including urodynamics testing.

Gina has shared her talents, her enthusiasm, andmost importantly her time with our SUNA family. Letthe light shine brightly on Gina!

Mary Anne Wasner, RN, CURNOutgoing North Central Regional Director

Incoming SUNA President-Elect

Gina Gerberding-Powley

Research Grants AvailableSUNA is pleased to announce the ongoing availability of grants for clinical research proposals with applic-

ability to urologic nursing practice. Two types of non-dissertation awards are available: (1) The Young InvestigatorResearch Program is designed for new researchers. Awards up to $40,000 are available. Details are available onSUNA’s Web site (www.suna.org, click Resources) or by contacting suna@ajj.com; (2) The EstablishedInvestigator Research Program is directed at experienced researchers with the same focus on clinical urologicnursing. Contact suna@ajj.com for further details. Successful applicants will be honored at future SUNA nation-al meetings where they will present their study findings.

Upper Midwest Chapter Celebrates 35th Anniversary

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Uro-Gram November 2007

The Importance of CertificationI very recently had the opportunity to be on the

other side of the nurse-patient relationship. It wasexpected to be a simple procedure but ended up beingrather difficult, with twice the time in the operatingroom and number of days in the hospital. At this writingit has been 4 weeks since the surgery, and I have beenthinking about the whole process. One of the things isthe number of people with whom a patient comes intocontact; so many different faces in a wide variety of dis-ciplines. I wonder about their qualifications, how longthey have been a nurse or anesthetist, and if they certi-fied in their specialty. I encountered operating roomnurses, a nurse anesthetist, PACU nurses, and orthopedicnurses. All I met were certainly qualified, and I receivedgreat care throughout my stay; but I still wonder howmany were certified.

Certification is more than credentials after yourname. It gives you that extra feather in your cap. It saysthat you have gone the extra mile to study hard and takethe exam. It tells me that you are just a little moreknowledgeable in your practice area. The requirementsto maintain certification also ask you to stay abreast ofyour specialty with education hours and clinical hours.

Do the patients know if you are certified or not?There are so many points of contact during a patient’shospitalization that I can tell you that, no, they do notknow and generally would not ask. But you know youare certified, and you should take great pride that you areable to provide that level of expertise to your patient nomatter what practice specialty.

I strongly encourage you to consider becoming cer-tified and taking it to the next level. To learn more, go towww.suna.com and click on the Certification tab orcontact CBUNA at cbuna@ajj.com to request an appli-cation.

Tina Yancey, BS, RNC, CURNCBUNA President

2008 Annual Symposium Offers Exciting Choice of

Preconference CoursesSUNA’s Annual Symposium is shaping up to be another

exciting event! Not only is the meeting scheduled for a won-derful time of in Tampa, FL, year (February 28 - March 2), theprogram features topics that are timely and essential. Youwon’t want to miss these days with all your SUNA friends!

Prior to the official start of the symposium, SUNA willoffer preconference workshops on Friday, February 29. Agreat advantage of these workshops is the time they affordto interact with other attendees and the faculty. Both full-day and half-day courses will be available.

In the past the Basic Urodynamics course hasreceived the highest marks available. This full-day coursewill cover the principles and background of urodynamics,including the significance of symptoms and the physiologyof urinary and pelvic floor dysfunction. Interpretation ofstudies will include the recognition of clinically significantevents and identification of artifacts.

Another preconference choice is a half-day morningworkshop that will address Pelvic Pain Treatment. Thisis a great course for all nurses who work with urologypatients. A lab, which will give participants practice inmyofascial release techniques, is being planned.

Interpretation, Diagnosis, and Documentationof Urodynamics is also a half-day morning workshop.Linking the urodynamic studies to the correct diagnosis anddocumentation will be a focus as this is important for bothreimbursement and treatment plans. Frequently used CPTand ICD-9 codes along with the current ICS terminologyand key documentation needed for reimbursement will beshared. UDS graphs, codes, and sample documentation willbe shared by a faculty who has a great deal of expertise inthese areas.

An afternoon half-day workshop will focus onBiofeedback and Electronic Stimulation. This coursewill provide information on the techniques of biofeedbackand electrical stimulation, which is valuable to urology nurs-es new to these techniques as well as those who need vali-dation that their current knowledge is evidence-based. Casestudies that describe the dynamics as they relate to thepatient’s presenting symptoms will be a portion of this work-shop.

Another half-day afternoon workshop will focus onLong-Term Care. Although not all patients in long-termcare are incontinent, there are enough that awareness of themanagement of incontinent patients is important to nursingpractice. Our faculty expert will help us to determine how tokeep these patients in the best possible condition. There arenursing interventions that are often not done, or not done asroutinely as they should be, that the faculty will assist you inimplementing in your plans of care.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of preconferenceworkshops available. The planning committee hopes thatthis broad array ensures that there will be “something foreveryone.” Please come join us at SUNA’s 2008 AnnualSymposium in Tampa! Watch your mail and the SUNA Website (www.suna.org) for meeting registration materials.

15

Abstracts for oral and poster presentations are invit-ed for SUNA’s 2008 Annual Symposium: Pelvic Pain andPelvic Floor Disorders. The meeting will be heldFebruary 28 through March 2 at the Tampa WatersideHotel and Marina in Tampa, FL. Abstracts may addressthe following:❂ Practical clinical approaches to the treatment and

management of patient conditions relevant to theAnnual Symposium topic/focus.

❂ Development and evaluation of innovative servicesand programs relevant to the Annual Symposiumtopic/focus.

❂ Identification and management strategies of specialpopulations relevant to the Annual Symposiumtopic/focus.

❂ Case studies involving innovative strategies formanaging challenges in patients relevant to theAnnual Symposium topic/focus.

❂ Original research that has not been published.Original research which has been submitted or inpress would be acceptable for presentation.

❂ Product and device evaluations.Please read and follow the submission guidelines

carefully. Submissions that do not follow the guidelineswill not be reviewed. It is often helpful to have a col-league or mentor review an abstract or manuscript priorto submission.

General Submission Guidelines1. Presenters/investigators are not required to be mem-

bers of SUNA.2. Multiple investigators are allowed; however, the

nurse investigator must be the principal or a co-investigator.

3. May not be presented in an identical format atanother SUNA national meeting.

4. Research funded by a commercial enterprise mustclearly identify in the design, a control for bias. The

presenter must not benefit from a financial interestwhich the research supports and a statement of dis-closure must accompany the abstract signed by eachinvestigator.

5. The presenter’s role in the research/project must beclearly stated.

6. Abstracts must be typed using New Times Roman #10 font.

7. Abstract length is limited to fitting within the one-page abstract form.

8. Abstract information must be postmarked by thedate specified in the call for abstracts.

9. Send printed, unfolded abstracts directly to theSUNA national office or via email to suna@ajj.com.Faxed abstracts will not be accepted.

10. A completed call for abstracts cover page mustaccompany each abstract.

11. Final acceptance is conditional upon registration atthe conference where the presentation will takeplace and meeting the format and criteria require-ments for the abstracts. Poster and podium presen-ters receive 1-day complimentary registration.

12. Contact the national office or the SUNA Web site(www.suna.org) for specific abstract submissioninformation and material on writing abstracts andpreparing posters.

13. A resume of the presenter no longer than one pagemust be submitted with each abstract.

14. Accepted abstracts are strongly encouraged to con-sider publication in Urologic Nursing.

Additional information and abstract submissionforms are available online. Go to www.suna.org andclick on Events. The deadline for submission ofabstracts is December 3, 2007. Send all abstracts to:SUNA National Office, E. Holly Avenue Box 56, Pitman,NJ 08071-0056. To submit by email, send tosuna@ajj.com.

Call for Abstracts: Research Session

Level OneAngela AdamsJeffrey AlbaughPatrick AlejosJames AltmanDiane AndersonKaren AskewBeverley BaergDiana BakerRaquel BauriEleanor BelskiRenee Benoit

Debra BishwatyMary Gail BlasierMary Jo BosworthJulia BowensLee Ann BoydNancy BrakkaDonna BrassilSharon BretzSharon BringewattBetty BrownDebbie BrownLorri Brown

Frances BryantPeggy BryantDebra BubackKathy BurbaCarol BurianLee BurkJohn BurkeShawna BurkeLaila Sarga BurroRene BusbyConnie BuynarAlice CampanelliJennifer Lynn CeraGeralyn ChiassonDeborah ChingJohn ChudikDonna ClarDiane ClowersLaura CurtinJeanne Ann DahlDenise D’AndreaLinda DavisMichelle DavisRobin DemboskiAndrea DietzMarcy DonkleDebra DoughertyMary Anne DouglasAmy DriscollMarsha DupreeDiana EconomonStephanie EdwardsMary EmmettMichelle FibichFrances Foley

Kathleen FonderRachel FranzDonna GallagherLinda GarciaMargaret GauthierMary Ann GearyTeresa Ann GilesKelly GollarMyra GonzalesAubrey GriffinJan GrossJanet GwaltneyMichelle HallmanMichael HallockKelley Hamill-

LemayAngie HenryDebbie HensleyBecky HippensteelNancy HolmesMichelle HribarCharles IhleGina JacksonJanice JohnsonGrace JonesKimberley JonesLaurie JonesMartha KlayMary KlemChristine KoopsSteve LamisKris LangkammerSally LawsonMary LehmanJulie Lemberger

Jean LewisDona LineSuzanne LintonChristine LlewellynAmy LoPrestiGloria MajorDiane MannMerrilee MartinLaura MawSilvia MaxwellJeannine

McCormickJulie MedranoTherese MeyerTodd MorningstarMelissa MorrisonAnna MossLisa NagleBarbara NapierRyan NashBrenda NeumannStacy NorwoodColleen OakesAngela ObergCarol OlsenMari OlsenRoger OrdalCarla OrtigoDanella ParkesDiane PeasleyKaylyn PetzelGerty Pierre-LouisKatherine PonceSusan PorcunaIrene Power

Debbie PuccioJody PurifoyKimberly RamseyMindy Rathe-HartSharon RobinsonMary RocheJoel RosenClaudia RuedaShane RussellJoan Ruttle-KingMargaret SanfordMaria SartoriKaren SassoValerie SchisslerDonna SchmidtKaren Jo SchmidtSherri SchroederMary Beth SchulteRuth ShieldsChristine ShimkoMarcus SikorskiDiane SmithNancy SpectorKathryn St. JohnSuzann St. MarieHelene StantIrene StazzoneSharon StromBeatrice StuckTeresa SturnfieldCarralee SueppelCynthia SullivanEarl SurwitBonnie SutherlandSusanne Talebian

Karyn TaylorJulie Lynn

TomlinsonShawn TurnerFaye TuttleOlga UptonMartha VargasValsamma VargheseMarissa VillarrealPaula WagnerCynthia WalkerKaren WallJoyce WallaceMary Anne WasnerLaurie WeilerValre WelchLinda WilliamsKelly WilsonJean WymanSue YoonKathy YoungDonna E. Zeznock

Level TwoAllison Ahrens

BeaverGwen HooperCheryl LeCroyMalinda Whitfield

Level ThreeLinda AdamsJanice JensenGina Gerberding-

Powley

Volume 35, Number 6 November 2007

Presorted StandardU.S. Postage

PAIDBellmawr, NJPermit #58

This newsletter is an official publication of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates,Inc. Copyright © 2007 by the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates. All rights reserved.No part of this material may be duplicated or reproduced in any manner without the writtenpermission of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates.(ISSN # 1074-8687)

SUNA encourages the submission of news items and photos of interest toSUNA members. By virtue of your submission, you agree to the usage andediting of your submission for possible publication in SUNA’s newsletter,Web site, and other promotional and educational materials.

EditorEvey Kliever, MA, RN, CRRN-A, CURN

East Holly Avenue Box 56 Pitman, NJ 08071-0056856-256-2335 • 888-827-7862 • FAX 856-589-7463 • E-Mail: suna@ajj.com

Visit SUNA’s Web site at www.suna.org

The Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates is a professionalorganization committed to excellence in clinical practice and researchthrough education of its members, patients, family, and community.

Congratulations to the following recruiters.Congratulations to the following recruiters for a job well done! 301 newmembers joined SUNA during this membership campaign, thanks to these hardworking recruiters!

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