Vol. XXVII No. 3 JOURNAL OF VASCULAR NURSING PAGE 79

www.jvascnurs.net

Poster Ab27th Ann

Copyright � 2009 by the Society for

1062-0303/2009/$36.00

doi:10.1016/j.jvn.2009.05.002

stracts from SVNual Convention

P1

Glycemic Control In Vascular Surgery Patients

L. Beth Sossoman, MSN, ACNP, CVN, Bailey Rourk, RN, BSN

University of North Carolina at Charlotte/Presbyterian Hospital,

Charlotte, North Carolina

Hyperglycemia is a risk factor for complications following

cardiac and vascular surgery. There are multiple research studies

in critical care and cardiothoracic surgery that have lead to

a growing body of evidence that tight glycemic control is para-

mount in the reduction of complications including wound infec-

tion, incidence of atrial fibrillation, and death. The role of

effective glycemic control in vascular surgical patients is not

as well studied.

Current clinical practice dictates that glycemic control is

equally important in vascular surgical patients. Each institution

implements standardized glycemic protocols to achieve targeted

blood sugar ranges. Our institution implemented a tighter target

range of 100 to 140 mg/dl in 2006. A key nursing function in

the post-operative vascular surgery patient is to perform blood

sugar analysis and administer insulin based on the prescribed pro-

tocol to achieve the above target range. Nursing adherence to this

protocol is generally assumed.

The purpose of this ongoing retrospective data analysis is to

determine nursing compliance with blood sugar analysis and

administration of insulin postoperatively both in critical care and

on step down units. The vascular surgical population studied is

endovascular and open abdominal aortic and thoracoabdominal

aneurysm repairs. In addition to nursing compliance, a comparison

of glycemic control obtained from subcutaneous versus intrave-

nous administration will be assessed and linked to clinical

outcomes for each subgroup.

P2

Vascular Patient Insulin Pilot

Katie Schneider, AD RN, Lori Giles, RN, Heather Whitaker, RN,

BSN

Athens Regional Medical Center, Athens, Georgia

The Cardiovascular Stepdown Unit at Athens Regional Med-

ical Center in Athens, Georgia has conducted a nurse driven pilot

for managing blood glucose levels in vascular surgical patients.

This nurse pilot was initiated to assist the physicians in managing

Vascular Nursing, Inc.

blood glucose values, pre and post operatively. Recent studies

have concluded that surgical patients with well lower blood glu-

cose levels, pre and post operatively, have less complications

than those with higher blood glucose levels. Our presentation

will explain our findings from:

- Review of charts from patients before and after the protocol

was implemented

- Data that determines whether or not the patients’ blood

glucose values were significantly lower on the protocol

- Data that determines whether or not the patients had a higher

incident of complications post operatively, before and after

the initiation of the insulin protocolIncluded in the presentation, is how a hospital-wide hypergly-

cemia protocol has been implemented with the data collected by

our unit. We will discuss how our protocol affected the house

wide decisions regarding glucose management.

If time permits, we hope to include a small section on our open

heart surgery patients, and their improved outcomes, by using

Glucomander. The Glucomander is a computer program that

uses an algorithm to control blood glucose via an insulin drip.

We have had great success with this program, as well. Thank

you very much for your time in considering our presentation.

P3

Diabetic Teaching

Brenda Hensley, RN, AND, Sherry Gravely, RN, MSN

Greenville Memorial Medical Center, Greenville, South Carolina

The investigational purpose of our research project is to com-

pare the currently used written educational material to an educa-

tional video. (The SVN nurses on our unit made the diabetic

teaching video.) Either the written or video material is used to

determine the recall of the diabetic education taught.

P4

Withdrawn

P5

Nurses’ Vascular Assessment of the Post SurgicalInfrainguinal Bypass Patient Comparing Ankle BrachialIndex (ABI) To Pulse Palpation/Doppler Signal

Carol Jo Morse, RN, Jill Knutson, RN

The Vascular Center at Maine Medical Center, Portland, Maine

Early recognition, treatment and regular follow-up can prevent

severe health consequences from peripheral arterial disease. A large

tertiary care center, performing over 11,000 vascular procedures

annually, established the Critical Limb Care Program to improve