ACVP testifies in New Hampshire

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

On January 24, ACVP participated in a public hearing before the New Hampshire Medical Imaging and Radiation Safety Board (NHMIRSB). The Board is considering pending regulatory changes that will have direct and material impact on Cath Lab professionals in the Granite State.

The NHMIRSB is in the process of finalizing rules affecting the ability of Cath Lab personnel – specifically affecting RCIS and RCES credentialed staff, and Nurses - to position patients and conduct fluoroscopy in the Cath Lab at the direction of a physician.

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Stents not effective? Study sparks debate pt. 1

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

U.K. PCI study sparks U.S. debate

On Wednesday, November 1, results from the Objective Randomized Blinded Investigation with Optimal Medical Therapy of Angioplasty in Stable Angina (ORBITA) study were published in The Lancet.

The next day, this article was published in the New York Times:

"A procedure used to relieve chest pain in hundreds of thousands of heart patients each year is useless for many of them," it began... "The new study, published in the Lancet, stunned leading cardiologists by countering decades of clinical experience. The findings raise questions about whether stents should be used so often—or at all—to treat chest pain."

Without further knowledge, the debate may start right here—the New York Times article had little in the way of medical detail to satisfy invasive cardiovascular professionals and may have further generalized results in a misleading manner.

But let's hold off on reacting, look at the debate surrounding this particular study and also place the findings in a wider context (part two). Note: this isn't the first time it has been suggested that stents are overused.

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Are you paid enough?

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

CVTs, RNs report higher wages in 2017

A national survey of cardiovascular professionals in Cath, EP and combo labs showed strong wage growth for Cardiovascular Technologists and Registered Nurses from 2015 to 2017.

National average hourly wages reported by CVTs and RNs grew significantly—from $30.81 to $33.16 and from $36.64 to $39.57, respectively—while average wages for Radiologic Technologists regressed from their 2015 highs—from $36.13 to $34.61—according to the 2017 CATH/IR/EP Wage Survey presented by SpringBoard Healthcare.

"While each licensure all had moderate wage growth between 2011 and 2013, in 2015 the trends of the different licensures diverged," reads the SpringBoard report. "RNs and CVTs actually decreased in 2015, while RTs had very strong growth (almost 6%); however, in 2017 that trend reversed as RNs and CVTs had extremely strong growth (almost 10%) while RT compensation decreased."

Take ACVP's 11 minute survey now for more complete data & detailed analysis.

Over the period SpringBoard has surveyed wage trends for Cath/IR/EP professionals—2011 to 2017—CVTs have shown the strongest wage growth "by a large margin" compared to RNs and RTs in the West, Northeast and South regions.

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SICP to Join ACVP

Posted on by Kurt Jensen

Uniting the Cardiovascular Profession—For Your Benefit

The Society of Invasive Cardiovascular Professionals will soon strengthen the ranks of the Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals.

Seeing an opportunity to unite the profession and improve the benefits of current members of both organizations, ACVP and SICP leadership agreed to join together.

SICP & ACVP joining means more resources, better benefits for members.

This opportunity to consolidate resources and benefits will result in more resources, better benefits, and fewer "upkeep" costs for members of the combined organization.

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