Announcements

SGNA is excited to introduce The Empowering Diversity in the GI Profession Scholarship, a new scholarship program intended to increase diversity and inclusion within the GI profession. This scholarship provides financial support to SGNA members from underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientations and or/those who have been impacted by disability. This scholarship will support undergraduate or graduate-level studies (e.g. Associate’s Degree, BSN, MSN or PhD) or preparation materials, educational programs and examination costs in support of certification, certificate or similar programs (e.g. CGRN, CFER or AGTS).

Applications are now open for a 2021 scholarship! Visit our website to learn more and apply by June 4.

The SGNA Empowering GI Professional Diversity Scholarship is supported by Boston Scientific Corporation.

Thursday, April 29 at 6:00 pm CST

Join Sabrina Schottenhamel, Licensed Massage Therapist and tune into this presentation to receive simple self-care techniques to have a happy, healthy, and productive day!

This webinar addresses the importance of nurses maintaining wellness and focuses on workday strategies such as scheduling intentional breaks and maintaining good posture.

Upon successful completion, participants can earn up to 1.00 contact hour. This webinar is free to SGNA members! Please note that this webinar is part of the new Wellness webinar series and not the regular webinar program. 

The  Multisociety Guideline on Reprocessing Flexible GI Endoscopes and Accessories has been updated. SGNA endorses and participated in the development of the guideline which can be accessed on the SGNA website.  

You can access this, and all other guidelines, on our elearning site here. 

We know you’ve been wondering about this spring’s Annual Course. Due to the continued public health threat caused by COVID-19, SGNA’s Board of Directors has decided to host the SGNA 48^th Annual Course: A Virtual Experience, as a live, virtual event May 22-25 to help you learn and connect with the SGNA peers, and earn contact hours, while we await the chance to come back together in person. We will offer optional pre-conference workshops May 21-22 that can be added to your virtual event registration.

 

Please visit our frequently asked questions page to learn more about our 2021 event.

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Wednesday, December 2 at 6:00 pm CST

Presented by: Kristina Matos RN BSN CGRN; Karissa Weidman, MD 

Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) is a minimally invasive procedure that aids in diagnosing diseases that affect the lung, including infections, cancer and inflammatory processes such as sarcoidosis. Register for this webinar for a review of EBUS and to become familiar with the indications, procedure and patient care peri-procedurally.

Upon successful completion, participants can earn up to 1.00 contact hour. Contact hours are being applied for through ABCGN, CBSPD and IAHCSMM. 

Register Here 

Each year at the Annual Course, SGNA recognizes members who have made important contributions in direct patient care in one or more of several performance categories. Consider submitting a nomination for yourself or a peer who stands out in the field.    The Distinguished Service Award recognizes a current SGNA member who has made significant contributions to the regional and national activities of the Society in the previous year. The Gabriele Schindler Clinical Excellence Award, named for an early pioneer in gastroenterology patient care, recognizes a member who has made important contributions in direct patient care in one or more of several performance categories.   Learn more or download the nomination forms here. Nominations for both awards are due Monday, January 4, 2021.

Celebrate the achievements of your peers with SGNA's Regional Society Member of the Year Award! Nominate members who have made a substantial positive impact in your region. There are several areas of performance in which a member can excel I order to qualify for this award, including: Facilitator/Mentor, Innovation, Organization, and Passion.    Learn more or submit a nomination here. Nominations are due Monday, January 4, 2021.

• One free live webinar
• Entry into a drawing for one free Core Curriculum (6^th Edition), and an SGNA blanket and water bottle

The deadline to apply for the Associates and Advanced Associates Program Scholarships has been extended to this Friday, October 9. These scholarships will financially assist technicians and associates who are interested in taking these online programs. Find the full criteria and applications here.

 

Learn more about the Associates Program and Advanced Associates Program.

Are you interested in renewing your SGNA Membership but are facing financial restraints? The SGNA Membership Dues scholarship has been established to financially assist SGNA Members with their annual membership dues. Find the full criteria and applications here.

Applications are due Thursday, October 1.

Have you been thinking about taking either the Associates or Advanced Associates Program? Apply for one of the Associates and Advanced Associates Program Scholarships! These scholarships were created to financially assist technicians and associates in taking these online programs. Find the full criteria and applications here. Applications are due Thursday, October 1.

On Wednesday, September 2 at 6:00pm CDT, J. Hudson Garrett Jr., PhD, MSN, MPH, MBA, FNP-BC, IP-BC, PLNC, AS-BC, VA-BC, FACDONA, FAAPM, FNAP presents "Creating Sustainable Solutions for Core Practices in Infection Control" on behalf of SGNA. Upon successful completion, participants can earn up to 1.0 contact hour. We hope to see you there!

This webinar is supported by Cantel.

SGNA is excited to introduce SGNA 47^th Annual Course: A Virtual Experience, a live, virtual event taking place October 31-November 2, 2020 to help you learn and connect with the SGNA peers while we await the chance to come back together in person. This event will be held instead of the SGNA 47^th Annual Course this fall due to the continued risk to our community presented by COVID-19 pandemic.

Please visit our frequently asked questions page to learn more about what this decision means for our event attendees, sponsors and exhibitors.

On Tuesday, August 11 at 6:00pm CDT. Stacie Miller, RN, MSN, MPH will present A Population-Based Approach to Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Underserved Individuals . Upon successful completion, participants can earn up to 1.0 GI-Specific contact hour through ABCGN as well as through IAHCSMM and CBSPD.

Are you ready to Gut to the Chase? We are excited to announce the launch of our brand new podcast series! Exclusively for SGNA members, this podcast will cover a variety of important topics across the gastroenterology/endoscopy specialty.

All of the episodes will be hosted in the eLearning Center. Our first series will focus on issues related to reopening GI units from the vendor perspective. Upcoming topics include SGNA President’s vision for the future and pivoting to virtual education.

Listen to the introductory episode today!

*Members must be logged into their SGNA account to access the podcast episodes.

Dennis P. Doherty, MSN, RN, NPD-BC presents “Distance Learning Strategies to Connect with Learners, Enhance Engagement, and Optimize Outcomes” on behalf of SGNA.

Planning, developing, implementing, and evaluating distance learning programs requires specific knowledge and skills that vary greatly from the face-to-face learning environment. This program will provide an overview of strategies to engage learners when teaching from a distance and share best practices to achieve learning outcomes.

Register Here for the LIVE Webinar, July 14, 2020

J. Hudson Garrett Jr., PhD, MSN, MPH, MBA, FNP-BC, IP-BC, PLNC, AS-BC, VA-BC, FACDONA, FAAPM, FNAP presents "State of the State with COVID-19: Strategies for Ensuring Safe Clinical Care" on behalf of SGNA.

This program will review the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, discuss evidence-based strategies to reduce the transmission of COVID, and also review a checklist approach to protecting the healthcare team during clinical procedures.

At the conclusion of this presentation, the participants will be able to:

1. Review the top lessons learned in healthcare from the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact to healthcare delivery
2. Discuss the short and long-term impacts to frontline healthcare professionals of the COVID-19 pandemic
3. Discuss a comprehensive approach to protecting healthcare workers from future pandemics

The Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates, Inc., is accredited as a provider of Continuing Nursing Education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. This course is worth 1.33 contact hours. Contact hours expire on July 1, 2023.

Register Here 

If you or someone you know is pursuing their nursing education, encourage them to apply for the SGNA RN Advancing Education Scholarship! SGNA created this scholarship to financially assist SGNA members who are pursuing their nursing education. The recipient of this scholarship will receive funds of $2,000 for a full-time student or $1,000 for a part-time student. The winner(s) will be announced in Fall 2020 and will be rewarded as reimbursement after official transcripts have been sent to SGNA HQ.  The deadline to apply is Friday, July 31. Download the scholarship application here. Sponsored by: Diversatek Healthcare

Tell your friends and colleagues about SGNA's mid-year membership! This is the perfect opportunity for them to join SGNA through December 31, 2021. 

Let them know about the benefits of being a member, such as access to SGNA Communities, exclusive discounts on educational resources and Annual Course registration and more!

SGNA is going virtual! While the Annual Course may have been postponed, the Annual Business Meeting will go on. Join us Monday, May 18, 2020 at 5:00 pm CT and find out first-hand from your elected leaders how SGNA continues to evolve as we review 2019. You can pre-register here. Participating in your society's business meeting is an important benefit of SGNA membership and we hope to "see" you there!