The Pulse | Thursday, March 12, 2020

SGNA Core Curriculum Preview: The Biliary System

Jeanine Penberthy, MSN RN CGRN

I was given the opportunity to be the contributor to the SGNA Gastroenterology Nursing: A Core Curriculum, 6th Edition, Chapter 17: The Biliary System. Up until this point, I had never been an active participant in reviewing these books, though I have been consuming them since the second edition. The role of contributor was even a new concept to me. Essentially, I was responsible for reviewing the previous editions and making changes or additions to the content, to reflect the changes in practice and standards of care.

I was fortunate to cover a topic that is near and dear to me: the biliary system. This chapter covers a system from fetal development to palliative care, with everything in between. Being newer to pediatric GI nursing, I found this review quite helpful to bring into my current practice. The congenital anomalies, such as biliary atresia, that are present at birth or found soon after was something that I had not experienced — this chapter was a great refresh. I was also able to use the experience from my past working with adults in GI nursing to better educate patients and families, and manage expectations of a process moving forward in life.

I am still surprised by the updated statistics this chapter covers, such as incidence of biliary disease, cholelithiasis. It is the fifth leading cause for hospitalization in adults and accounts for 90% of all biliary diseases. I was also surprised by the fact that there are 1 million new cases diagnosed each year.

The Core Curriculum is a very important resource, and I have had one on my bookshelf for a long time. This book houses the collective knowledge of GI nurses over the years, and allows for that information to be passed down, shared, tested and validated so that we, as nurses, can base our practice on research and evidence.

Our members that participated in the process of bringing this resource to life have been key. Many people have dedicated countless hours of research, writing, rewriting, asking questions, clarifying and editing to make sure the Core Curriculum is a quality resource that will be used for years to come. It has been an honor and a privilege to be included in this process. Through these types of resources, SGNA remains the leader for the dedication to the safe and effective practice of gastroenterology and endoscopy nursing.

Purchase Gastroenterology Nursing: A Core Curriculum, 6th Edition here.