In order to reinforce the links between National Societies and the European Society of Cardiology, and to increase members’ awareness of belonging to the ESC through their National Society membership, a stand was shared by both entities.
On this booth, members had the opportunity to collect relevant information about ESC Congresses, receive the latest ESC Pocket Guidelines as well as be informed on the ESC Fellowship application process.
The Congress was attended by 3860 delegates, of which 997 were nurses. Nurses and Allied Professions are on the front line in the battle to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in the field of prevention and during the congress a specific session was dedicated to this audience.
Dr. Jiri Leso, President of the Czech Working Group (WG) on Cardiovascular Nursing, reported on the key actions of this dynamic group.
“Established in November 2006, the WG of Cardiovascular Nursing is the most recent addition to the Czech Society of Cardiology. It is comprised of about 110 members and its activities are expanding to include a multitude of scientific programmes, as the provision of education for nurses continues.
Other activities are prepared in collaboration with the ESC Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions as well as with other WGs of the Czech Society of Cardiology and the Czech Nursing Association.
The Czech Society of Cardiology’s annual Congress is one of the key meetings at which nurses can offer a comprehensive up-to-date view of different aspe
cts of cardiovascular nursing. This year 85 lectures and 6 posters were presented– from all areas of cardiology, university or faculty hospitals together with the ambulatory sector. Sessions were dedicated to preventive cardiology, coronary artery disease, heart failure and acute cardiac care, including applying method of hibernation. Also covered was the transplantation of the heart – organisation of the care, results, special nursing management, juridical implications, communication with patients and education, arrhythmias and the use of magnetic navigation for diagnostic and therapy. The quality of nursing care was recognised in all reports.
The Congress was of historic importance as it gave us the opportunity, for the first time, to welcome Mrs. Isabelle Collin, representative from the European Heart House. She addressed the audience and provided her listeners with information on the European Society of Cardiology, the structure and the activities of the ESC Council on Cardiovascular Nursing and Allied Professions and encouraged nurses to not only join the Council, but to also collaborate with other WGs in Europe. The President of the Czech Nursing Association, for her part, oriented her presentation towards the reality and the vision of nursing in Czech Republic.
Following speakers presented the first results of education in cardiovascular nursing, which opened in spring this year. Standardisation of cardiovascular nursing and E-learning presentations informed about the current status.
In conclusion, we can be proud of the high professional standard of the presented lectures and posters. The first acceptances were all together positive and it is an overwhelmingly good sign for the future and the next meeting in 2009.”