Illinois RNs well represented at 71st heart association scientific session

Chart, Jan/Feb 1999 by Schwertz, Dorie W

Illinois nurses were well-represented at the American Heart Association (AHA) Meeting that took place November 8-11, 1998 in Dallas. Facilitating general representation of nursing research at these meetings were the Chairperson of the Cardiovascular Nursing Program Committee, Dr. Kathleen Grady from Rush University School of Nursing in Chicago and the Cochair, Dr. Mariann Piano from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Several sessions at the meeting called "How-to" Sessions, were sponsored by the AHA Council of Cardiovascular Nursing. Dr. Carol Estwing Ferrans from UIC College of Nursing spoke on "How to Measure Quality of Life in Cardiovascular Patients." Dr. Karyn Holm (Department Head of Medical-Surgical Nursing at Loyola University in Maywood) served as moderator for a session entitled "Beyond Coronary Artery Disease: Other Physiologic Effects of Estrogen." Drawing from her experience serving on the National Institutes of Health Nursing Research Study Section, Dr. Dorie Schwertz (UIC) spoke in a session on How to Get Research Funding. Her title was "Writing a Grant: Proposal Preparation and Submission."

Other sessions sponsored by the Council of Cardiovascular Nursing included one entitled "Heart Failure: Measurement and Clinical Applications" which was moderated by Dr. Mariann Piano. Illinois nurses who delivered papers in this session were Shann Kim (doctoral candidate, UIC) and Dr. Lynn Braun (Rush University School of Nursing). Shann Kim spoke on "The Renin-Angiotensin System in Heart Failure" and Dr. Lynn Braun spoke on "Norepinephrine Levels in Heart Failure." Dr. Mariann Piano also presented a state-ofthe-science overview on "Biochemical Markers of Ischemia: Creatine Kinase and the Troponins" in a special Sunday session entitled "Issues in Cardiac Care: New Approaches to the Diagnosis and Management of Myocardial Ischemia."

Other news of interest to Illinois nurses was the announcement of the winner of the Council of Cardiovascular Nursing's Martha N. Hill New Investigator Award Competition. Candidates were Theresa A. Berry from the University of Cincinnati, Lora E. Burke from the University of Pittsburgh and Gayle R. Whitman, also from the University of Pittsburgh. The winner was Lora Burke who presented her work on "Improving adherence to a cholesterol-lowering diet: A behavioral intervention study." Previous winners of the New Investigator Award from Illinois include Dr. Julie Johnson Zerwic (UIC) and Dr. Mariann Piano (UIC). This year's winner of the prestigious Council of Cardiovascular Nursing's Katherine A. Lembright Award was Dr. Jerilyn Allen from Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing. Dr. Allen presented a lecture on her research program that focuses on understanding risk factors and cues of those a risk for cardiovascular diseases.

It is very likely that many other nurse researchers from Illinois presented results of their own research or results of collaborative investigations at the AHA meetings. It is difficult to know how many Illinois nurses presented their work because the program cannot be searched by the state where the research was conducted. However, we would like to recognize all nurses from our state who participated. Illinois nurses can be very proud of their visibility and representation at the 71st Scientific Session of the American Heart Association Meeting.

By Dorie W Schwert., PhD, RN Chair, Illinois Council of Nurse Researchers