Merri Bremer, EdD, RN, ACS, RDCS, FASE

Nashville is known as the “Music City.” Appropriately, the theme for this year’s Scientific Sessions is “See the Sound. Hear the Science.” Come to Nashville for the science, but while you’re here, experience some Southern charm, barbeque, and music.

It is my privilege to serve as sonographer co-chair with program chair Dr. Sunil Mankad and an exceptional planning committee. This program will address both foundational concepts and evolving practice in echocardiography, thus meeting the educational needs of those new to the profession and those who are more experienced. In addition, there will be numerous networking opportunities for career development spread throughout the program.

The Scientific Sessions start out on Friday afternoon with three special tracks. First is the highly interactive Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) Echocardiography Boot Camp. This is an opportunity to pick the brains of IAC Echocardiography staff members regarding the most effective way to pursue pediatric and adult echocardiography accreditation. Case study requirements will be reviewed, as well as the most common errors noted by reviewers when cases are submitted for accreditation. Do you want to know how to benefit most from the QI process? Participate in using the QI tool to review a case for quality, and then discuss how to use the results to improve your practice.

The second Friday afternoon track is a focus on POCUS. An extracardiac imaging workshop includes both didactic content and hands-on opportunities in the areas of abdominal, lung, and vascular ultrasound. This workshop is followed by a session highlighting the new frontiers of POCUS, including its use in sepsis, neurocritical care, and assessing renal perfusion.

The third track is a combination of vascular ultrasound and pediatric echocardiography. The early afternoon session is a vascular screening workshop, with a focus on carotid, aorta, and ankle-brachial index testing. Later in the afternoon, the Pediatric track will review common adult congenital heart diseases (ACHD), topped off with a discussion on how to evaluate new ACHD patients in your lab.

Throughout the Sessions, the Imaging Essentials track offers a good mix of essential echo knowledge and associated topics. The 7:00-8:00 a.m. sessions each day will center on recent ASE Guideline updates for diastolic function, contrast, aortic stenosis, and valvular regurgitation, with an emphasis on practical application in everyday practice.

We also have a number of sessions that will broaden your knowledge of topics related to our field. A Saturday morning sonographer career development session will start with the Council on Cardiovascular Sonography Business Meeting, will then move on to discussion of career pathways (including the ACS role), and will conclude with a panel discussion regarding pathways to leadership for women in ASE. Saturday afternoon there will be a lab leadership and management summit, with helpful tips for managing staff, implementing practice change, and managing performance. The session will end with a panel discussion focusing on an all too common struggle: Quality vs Quantity in the Healthcare Environment.

On Sunday afternoon, the annual Educator‘s Summit will address topics essential to educators of students, sonographer staff, and fellows. Tips will be shared for developing goals and objectives, giving feedback, innovative delivery of education, and competency-based education. Topping off the session is a panel discussion addressing education across learners (fellows, students, ACS, and staff).

Research is highlighted on Monday afternoon during the ASE Foundation’s annual Sonographer Investigator’s Competition. Five sonographers will share their research and compete for a monetary award. Also during this session, tips will be offered for getting started in research and how to critically analyze research articles. Many of you may have known Brian Haluska, PhD, RDCS, AMS, FASE. Brian was a leader in sonographer driven research, an unwavering supporter of the ASE, and a regular faculty member for the Scientific Sessions. He is an inspiration to many sonographers by virtue of his work as an independent sonographer investigator, with publication of over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles. This year, in honor of Brian Haluska, ASE has named this competition the Brian Haluska Sonographer Research Competition.

The Imaging Essentials Track ends late Tuesday morning with “Diverse Dilemmas in Echocardiography,” which includes topics such as ergonomics, stress testing for valve disease, the role of the sonographer in TEE, and echocardiography in the ICU and ED.

Other conference highlights include the following.

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  Saturday, June 23 ^rd – Echo Jeopardy, Pediatric Echo Jeopardy, and President’s Reception

  
  
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  Sunday, June 24 ^th – Case-based competition from the new CASE (Cardiovascular Imaging Case Reports) journal, Echovation Challenge Competition, and ASE Foundation’s 9th Annual Research Awards Gala

  
  
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  Monday, June 25 ^th – Value of Echo Summit, Arthur E. Weyman Young Investigator’s Award Competition, and 19 ^th Annual Feigenbaum lecture

  
  
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  Tuesday, June 26 ^th – Pediatric Case Competition

Be sure to stop by the ASEF Booth to sign up for the cardiovascular challenge, see the Heart Photo Exhibition, and much more!

Please join us for an educational and entertaining time in the Music City. If you have a little extra time before or after the meeting, visitmusiccity.com/ will provide more information regarding opportunities to explore Nashville.

For Scientific Session information, visit asescientificsessions.org , where you can register for the conference and book your hotel. Download the 2018 Meeting App by searching for ‘‘ASE Courses’’ in the app store.

Hope to see y’all soon!

Merri Bremer, EdD, RN, ACS, RDCS, FASE, is the Education and Quality Coordinator in the Mayo Clinic Division of Cardiovascular Ultrasound.