Cath Lab Digest - September 2007 - (Page 36)

36 ACVP MEMBERSHIP PAGE SEPTEMBER 2007 The ACVP Standards and Competencies: Are you using them effectively? Peggy McElgunn, Esq. Executive Director, Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals T he Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals (ACVP) is pleased to have an opportunity to share information about the Alliance and benefits available through participation. ACVP supports Cath Lab Digest through article contributions and welcomes all opportunities to educate and inform cardiovascular professionals. ACVP is committed to working together. It is only through our combined and shared knowledge, experience and skills that we can impact healthcare globally and make a long and lasting difference for patients everywhere. Strength from Diversity T he ACVP Standards and Competencies were developed by the ACVP leadership over a period of several years and have been fashioned to be successfully utilized by all organizations interested in the training and performance of the cardiovascular specialties. The Standards and Competencies are available to ACVP members upon request. If you would like a copy, please contact the ACVP National Office at (804) 632-0078. “Continuous improvement” means improving quality and reducing costs by enhancing the efficiency of care delivery processes. These processes involve all cardiovascular specialties and have a substantial impact on how a department or hospital operates. In this article, we look at how best to utilize standards and competencies, and how their use can aid in each cath lab’s ongoing quest for continuous improvement. members of the profession, as well as with management. The lack of consensus as to what roles and function define the field, as well as the growing number of personnel assigned performance improvement functions without any preparation as trainers, has been a cause of concern for many. ACVP’s strength lies in the fact that we have combined all the cardiovascular specialties and disciplines. This diversity provides a rich source of networking possibilities for you, as well as a strong voice in the field. There are distinct advantages to belonging to an organization that includes professionals from many different fields. ACVP has become a unique catalyst for multiskilling and cross-training. Information and learning also takes a leap forward. A Globally Respected Reputation When you join the Alliance of Cardiovascular Professoinals (ACVP), you’re joining an organization respected throughout the world as an authority on cardiovascular management and practice. We have almost 50 years of continuous service representing cardiovascular professionals across the country. Our membership consists of over 3000 individuals specializing in all areas of cardiovascular practice: echocardiography, invasive, noninvasive, cardiopulmonary and management. We also represent all levels of practice: administrators, managers, supervisors, nurses, technologists and technicians. Professions, By Definition, Have Standards Traditionally, professions are characterized by sets of roles, common language and functions, and the need for specialized preparation. There is also a means of self-monitoring — of assuring that the practitioners uphold professional standards and perform at a minimum level of competency. The ACVP Standards and Competencies have evolved from the ACVP leadership over a period of years for the purpose of maintaining and increasing the credibility and accountability of those in the cardiovascular and pulmonary profession, thereby guaranteeing continued employment. Using Standards to Improve Job Performance Training to improve performance has always existed. As long as there have been skills, there has been training to prepare the new generation to take over for the old. Initially, it was one-on-one, on-thejob training; however, with the increase in technology and the need to constantly retrain practitioners, simply assigning new practitioners to the seasoned professional is no longer as effective. Considering the rate of change in technology and the increased emphasis on performance improvement, the growth of the invasive cardiology profession has been a dynamic one. It has had many benefits, one of which has been the ability to integrate change and eliminate what doesn’t work. On the less positive side, however, there has been a proliferation of job titles and an overlap in functions which has hampered communication among the An Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals If you are managing all or portions of a cardiovascular program a cardiovascular practitioner involved in cardiovascular educational or training programs researching in the area of cardiovascular medicine consulting in the cardiovascular arena promoting equipment or technology for cardiovascular services a member of another cardiovascular organization you are invited to become a member of an integrated professional organization that provides educational programs, as well as resources for information related to cardiovascular healthcare. Membership activities include research projects, developing guidelines and standards, providing information in all areas of specialty, representation of YOU, and providing members with tools and opportunities for development and advancement. Together, we can make a difference in cardiovascular services delivery today! For more information about ACVP and its programs and activities, please visit www.acp-online.org or call (804) 632-0078. Application: Translating competencies into tools and processes Throughout this article, competencies refers to the skills required for a profession. Standards refers to the performance expectations established by the collection of competencies. It is important to remember that standards serve the profession only if they are used appropriately. http://www.acp-online.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Cath Lab Digest - September 2007

St. Dominic Hospital The Genous Bio-engineered R Stent Percutaneous Treatment of Peripheral Arterial Chronic Total Occlusions: Device Options and Clinical Outcomes Contents Clinical Editor’s Corner Percutaneous Revascularization of Peripheral Chronic Total Occlusion — Which Patients, Why, and How? Myocardial Infarction and Syncope: A Manifestation of the “Raynaud-Prinzmetal Syndrome”? Essential Technical Components of the Transradial Approach If You Build It, Will They Come? Evidence-Based Medicine with Drug-Eluting Stents Back to School: The Value of Education in Cardiovascular Services The ACVP Standards and Competencies: Are You Using Them Effectively? What Do You Think? My Experience with Fibromuscular Dysplasia and Stroke A Brief Review of Fibromuscular Dysplasia Letter to the Editor A Look at On-the-Job Training: Perceptions, Reality and Our Profession Doing the Wave: Inventory Management with RFID The Ten-Minute Interview with… Paul Pinsker, RCIS CLD’s Annual Salary Survey Harrisburg Area Community College Volunteer Survey CEU Education Center SICP* Section Ask the Clinical Instructor: A Q&A Column for Those New to the Cath Lab Clinical & Industry News

Cath Lab Digest - September 2007

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