Shelley Tarantola, BSN RN CGRN
New Hyde Park, NY
Shelley Tarantola, BSN RN CGRN, has been in the GI/endoscopy field for 25 years and a member of SGNA since 2009. Tarantola recently shared with SGNA (eScope, June 2011) that she loves the way GI has grown and stays motivated in my GI/endoscopy field through the satisfaction I gain collaborating with fellow GI endoscopists to produce quality patient care. Through educational programs, she is able to maintain my certification which gives her a higher salary and status within her hospital. Tarantola also enjoys meeting with a broader group to gather and compare ideas and share experiences through educational forums.
Brenda B. Turner, LPN GST
Greenbrier, Tennessee
Brenda B. Turner has been in the GI/endoscopy field for 10 years and a member of SGNA since 2007. Turner stays motivated in the GI/endoscopy field when she sees patients that find out they have cancer in an early stage and are able to remove it and when they come back there is no sign of cancer. Turner shared with SGNA (eScope, May, 2011) that what she values the most about her SGNA membership is the discounts on programs and products that I get with my membership.
Kimberly Wilson, RN MSN
Kimberly Wilson, RN MSN, has been a member of SGNA since 2011. She says caring for GI/endoscopy patients allows her to utilize a full spectrum of nursing skills. Kimberly said "I worked in ICU for 18 years prior to transferring to endoscopy three and a half years ago and worried that some of my critical thinking skills would decline by underutilization. How wrong I was! In patient preparation, I consider not only physical findings but also health history, medications and other risk factors for the intended procedure. So many times I've discovered information that the MD needs to be informed of, and we've modified the care and increased patient safety as a result. Diligence in patient monitoring and intervention requires using my knowledge of hemodynamics, pulmonary function and adjuncts to optimize the patient's status. I'm privileged to educate patients and families regarding the procedure, expectations afterward, and aide in their understanding of procedural findings. The GI suite also satisfies my need of feeling proficient with technical equipment and instruments. As I earned my master's degree last spring, my completion project was GI focused!"
Vicki Jones, BSN RN CGRN
Tulsa, OK
Vicki Jones has been in the GI/endoscopy field for 10 years and a member of SGNA since 2003. Jones shared with SGNA (eScope, April 2011) that she stays motivated by the opportunity GI nursing provides through new techniques and procedures "It is motivating to know that patient care improves whenever new skills are implemented," Jones said.
Maria Pasion, RN CGRN
Maria Pasion, RN CGRN, has been a member of SGNA since 2007. Her best advice for new SGNA members is to strive for the CGRN certification. Below she describes what inspires her in her career and how SGNA has helped further her professional journey.
She says "I’m inspired by the joy of being a part of a specialty that involves a direct relationship with patient care and by promoting a mission of preventing colon cancer. It’s inspiring when patients continue to live productively and enjoy life to the fullest because, at some point in their life, you have been part of a group of people who persuaded them to get a colonoscopy procedure that saved them from getting colon cancer. SGNA offers a tremendous opportunity to grow professionally. Aside from learning a lot through all the conferences, it was my stepping stone to being a CGRN."
Henry Prescott, RN
Henry Prescott, RN, joined SGNA in January 2012. He says his youngest patients inspire him most in his GI/endoscopy career. In the March 2012 eScope, he said "I work with 99 percent pediatric patients, and I have a great desire to try and make all of my patients have the very best experience they can. I joke with them, say silly things to make them laugh and explain everything that they will experience to create a trusting atmosphere. Being an SGNA member says to coworkers and patients that I want to be the very best at what I do in my career. It allows me to get ideas for problem or issue solutions, as well as keeping up with new technology."