THE CVAA
Newsletter of the Canadian Vascular Access Association
WINTER/SPRING 2018
Meet the Board: Adriana Congi Each CVAA Link issue features short interviews with members of the CVAA Board. Why did you put your name forth for the Student Ambassador position on the CVAA Board? After starting my nursing degree, I wanted to put myself out there and seize any opportunity that could help me learn more about the nursing profession and about patient care. When I came across the posting for the Student Ambassador position with CVAA, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to network, learn, teach, advocate and expand my skills. Not knowing anything about CVAA, I went onto the organization’s website and read the mission and vision statement and even the Constitution. In only a year of being on the Board, I’ve gained an abundant amount of knowledge and developed new skills that could have never been taught in a classroom or in a clinical placement. This opportunity has been the start in shaping me into the nurse I hope to be when I graduate. What are you most excited about with CVAA in 2018? I am excited to get more involved with CVAA in my Student Ambassador role. I hope to really encourage and prompt curiosity in my peers to want to learn more about CVAA. I hope to brainstorm ideas with my peers on what we can do at the nursing student level to advocate for vascular access and infusion therapy. Currently, our curriculum only teaches the basic information and I strongly believe that in order to provide safer patient care, nursing students need more knowledge and learning opportunities before they graduate.
What do you enjoy about the conference? 2017 was my first attendance at a professional nursing conference and I enjoyed every moment. I was extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to network with so many amazing healthcare professionals. When you are in nursing school, you are very limited in learning about what options you have after graduating. The conference helped me expand my understanding of the various paths I can take when I enter the workforce. In addition, going into the conference, I knew very little about vascular access and infusion therapy. I came back home with a new appreciation and comprehension and I could not stop talking about it with my peers, my family and my professors. Tell us something interesting about yourself (personal, not professional) When I was younger, figure skating played a big role in my life. I had a private coach and participated in competitions. I still have my favourite purple sparkly dress from my very first competition. Eventually, I made the decision to stop figure skating in order to focus on my education. Every winter season, I go to the Windsor outdoor public skating rink to enjoy a cup of hot chocolate and skating with my friends and family.