The Ten-Minute Interview with...Donna Hanna, RN

I currently work in the cardiac cath lab at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center in Glendale, Arizona, as a Registered Nurse. I have been with the Banner System for twenty-seven years since relocating from New Jersey in 1978. Although I have over twenty-seven years nursing experience, my calling has been in the cardiovascular arena with an emphasis in the area of cardiac catheterization. Why did you choose to work in the invasive cardiology field? My interest in nursing began my senior year in high school, where I spent a great deal of time volunteering in the critical care areas. The nurses in the unit knew I was going to nursing school and exposed me to as many unusual situations as possible. The field of cardiology has always been an area of fascination and continued learning for me. The changes in technology require continued professional growth and critical thinking skills by the professional nurse. This brings about new challenges both professionally and personally, which provides continued stimulation in my profession. Can you describe your role in the CV lab? I have held many roles in the cath lab from staff nurse to assistant director, but I continue to strive to be a clinical leader for my peers and other members of the health team. I prefer to be a mentor and clinical resource to others within the department. I serve on many committees within the department and facility to promote the profession of cardiovascular nursing. These include areas of policy and procedure development, as well as development of standards of care in the cath lab. What is the biggest challenge you see regarding your role in the CV lab? The principle challenge of the health care profession within the invasive CV lab remains technology and the ability to develop or maintain competencies in an ever-changing environment. The barriers to technological advances provide many challenges in the area of scope of practice of the nurse and reimbursement restrictions. Quite often, technology precedes reimbursement, resulting in CV leaders having to either make difficult decisions on acquiring the technology versus denying the technology to the community being served. One example are the drug-eluting stents, which did not have adequate reimbursement prior to implementation. Globalization of the technological information is resulting in a more aware consumer. Subsequently, acute care facilities were given little choice in providing the stents to the patient population. What motivates you to continue working in the CV lab? I love the work I do and the environment of the cath lab at Banner Thunderbird. The reward of working with patients, their families, and physicians far exceeds any other obstacles found in any workplace. The camaraderie between staff and physicians promote a feeling of value and respect. The leadership structure of the institution also provides an environment of growth/development and the ability to be approachable to all issues. Is there a particularly unusual or bizarre case with which you have been involved? Each patient, situation, and procedure requires vigilance by all members of the health care team. Although each of us has a memorable case that stands out among others, each patient and situation provides a unique personal experience. When work gets stressful and you experience low moments (as we all do), what do you do to help keep your morale high? It is essential that there is balance between work and a personal life. I am very fortunate to work in a cath lab that recognizes this quintessential need of every employee. The staff is allowed to self-schedule and work 12-hour shifts. This leads to more time away from the work area. Another benefit is the decreased amount of call time due to the presence of more staff. In addition, I have colleagues in which I can confide, and who provide both emotional and professional support. Are you involved with the SICP or other cardiovascular societies? Unfortunately, I am not currently a member of SICP or other cardiovascular professional organizations. However, I do remain current with the literature provided by many professional organizations such as SICP, American Heart Association, and so on. Are there websites or texts that you would recommend to other CV labs? There are many sites available on the world wide web. I find that cathlab.com often provides valuable insight into the challenges of other labs. I also find issues of Cardiovascular Roundtable and the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing to be informative of current best practices. There is a growing need to look outside of the cardiovascular specialty to discover best practices and unique ideas from other professions. A great example of innovation is the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, which is a great resource for the 100,000 Lives Campaign (www.ihi.org). This is an effort by the Institute to introduce, across the U.S., proven best practices in various aspects of patient care (including acute myocardial infarction) in order to help reduce morbidity and mortality in American healthcare. Do you remember participating in your first invasive procedure? Can you describe what it was like and how you felt? Memories of my first invasive procedure were obscured by fear and anxiety. However, the first time being called in for an acute myocardial infarction provided a feeling of amazement and pride. Stabilization of the patient on the procedure table was an experience I had never felt or seen before. Without the intervention of the cath lab team, the patient would have expired and I thus felt a valuable part in making a difference. If you could send a message back to yourself at the beginning of your CV lab career, what advice would you give? Take advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow in your profession. A nursing mentor once said: Take advantage of learning new things, experiencing new things, and doing new things because it only stacks up and you will have the knowledge base that everyone else is seeking. I have found this to be a foundation of learning and development in my career. Where do you hope to be in your career when it is time to retire? My first and only desire at this time is to remain doing what I love to do now…a cath lab nurse trying to make a difference in my patient’s lives. Has anyone in particular been helpful to you in your growth as a cardiovascular professional? Three individuals have been very instrumental in my growth as a cardiovascular nurse. My first mentor was Dr. Marvin Padnick, a cardiologist who graciously shared his knowledge and patience in developing a cath lab nurse. The second mentor in my development was Judy Crook, RN, MSN who continues to be a mentor and friend. She also took me under her wing and taught me all about interventional cath lab nursing and how to manage a cath lab. Another person who supported me in my professional development was Dr. Joseph Klag. He brought different perspectives into events where I thought there were none and therefore, provided valuable insight to managing both physicians and all members of the cath lab team. Lastly, I would have to say everyone who I work with at Banner Thunderbird Cath Lab. Where do you think the invasive cardiology field is headed in the future? Invasive cardiology will continue to grow in scope and branch out to different modalities that not only include cardiology, but also other specialties that are percutaneous or catheter-based. Technology only enhances this growth of invasive intervention and will provide various options for our patients.

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