Local Chapter Update: WI Chapter meeting attendee praises session on cardiomyopathy

The Wisconsin ACDIS Chapter met Saturday, October 15, at Wheaton Franciscan in Wauwatosa and featured a full day of speakers and networking. The presentations were all given by members of the chapter and were well-received by attendees, who came from across Wisconsin and neighboring states. While each presentation was equally informative, one in particular stood out to attendee Susan M. Burke, RN, CCDS, CDI specialist at Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital in Illinois. The session focused on cardiology, specifically arrhythmias, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken-heart syndrome), and stenting. The two speakers, one of which was a cardiac nurse, used diagrams and interactive visuals to demonstrate blockages, including left bundle branch block (LBBB), specifically where they originate.

“It is one thing to know it from reading,” she says, “and another to see it in a schematic that makes perfect sense and creates links in the minds of the audience members—and this did.”

The presentation also included pictures of Takotsubo, demonstrating how it got its name and how it appears radiographically in the catheter lab. The research that has been done linking Takotsubo to other disease entities was completely unknown to Burke, who has been a nurse for more than 30 years.

“Though it may sound simplistic, I can tell you that having a good grasp of cardiology is not as easy as other body systems,” she says. “Hearing and now having a visual in my head helps me in my practice. I think the same could be said for most nurses and coders.”

Editor’s Note: For information about upcoming chapter events, visit the Local Chapter page on the ACDIS website and click on your state.

Upcoming events

• The KY/S. Indiana ACDIS Chapter meets on November 17. For information contact, Leah Savage, at Leah.Savage@nortonhealthcare.org.
• The CNY Central New York CDI networking group meets Friday, November 18, 2-4 p.m., at Marley Education Center, Pomeroy School of Nursing, in Syracuse, New York. Reservations required by November 14. For information, contact Dawn Burr at dawnburr@crouse.org. 

The next Maine ACDIS Chapter meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 8, from noon-4 p.m., at St. Mary’s in Lewiston. For information, email Valerie Parent, at vparent@emhs.org