Behind the Scenes | Tuesday, May 8, 2018

Annual Course Preview: Evolving Endoscopic and Colonoscopy Procedures

The SGNA 45th Annual Course, taking place May 20-22 in Orlando, Florida, is a chance for GI and endoscopy professionals to connect and learn. With more than 100 educational sessions spanning 12 tracks, there’s no shortage of opportunities to brush up on skills and learn new information.

To give you a sneak peek of this year’s lineup, we spoke with Annual Course presenter Jay Lardizabal, MAN BSN RN CGRN. Here he shares why these topics are important, and what attendees can expect to take away from each session.

Session Preview 1

Pancreas in Focus: A Guide for the GI Nurse and Technicians

The world of gastroenterology is rapidly evolving and endoscopic procedures are becoming more advanced. An important technology that is becoming a routine procedure is Endoscopic Ultrasound (EU). As members of a dynamic GI team, I believe it is of utmost importance that nurses and technicians are knowledgeable about the basic principles and concepts to yield a better patient care and outcome. My upcoming presentation at the SGNA 45th Annual Course will focus on EUs and its relevance to the diagnosis and treatment of common pancreatic diseases, from the GI Nurses and Technicians’ perspectives. At the end of this educational session, I hope attendees will become more empowered to be an assertive team member and a better patient advocate in the procedure rooms.

Session Preview 2

Awake! The Effects of Un-sedated Colonoscopy in Adenoma Detection Rate

Colonoscopy remains to be the gold-standard in polyp detection and polyp removal. However, a vast majority of people delay their procedure due to the complications associated with sedation/anesthesia. Past studies have proven that un-sedated colonoscopies are a viable option to avoid these complications. But how do we encourage more patients to get their procedure done amidst their reluctance? A study performed at the University of California, Irvine concluded that colonoscopies done without sedation resulted in a superior adenoma detection rate. It is our hope that this research study will help many endoscopy centers recruit more patients to get their colonoscopies done and ultimately reduce the incidence of colon cancer.

 

Jay S. Lardizabal, MAN BSN RN CGRN, has been a nurse for 13 years and has been in the GI department as an interventional nurse for eight years now at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. He is a nursing instructor at Stanbridge University. He organized the review program for the CGRN exam at the University of California, Irvine from 2013-2015.

The SGNA 45th Annual Course will be held in Orlando, Florida, at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Convention Center. Courses will run May 20-22, with pre-meeting events occurring May 18-19. Learn more on the SGNA Annual Course website and register today.