This being my very first President's message, I want to start by saying thank you.

Thank you to:

All SICP members. You recognize the importance of being active in your profession. You take the time to contribute as well as broaden your own knowledge. This dedication leads to improved quality in the care we offer our patients.

The Gulf Coast Chapter Board and members. You supported my dream and made it a reality. The Gulf Coast Chapter has been the impetus for ten other chapters in the country.

My mentor and friend, Tracy Simpson, who guides me as we continue to grow and seek news ways to benefit our membership and patients.

Past board members, who welcomed me with open arms and supported my growth in the society.

The incoming board who have agreed to donate their time to take the SICP to the next level.

Our industry sponsors, Boston Scientific, DataScope, and Edwards LifeSciences. These companies recognize our purpose and generously support our society in 2006. We look forward to long partnerships with them.

That being said, I want to let you know what™s coming up in 2006.

The RCIS review courses are well-established and will continue. Upcoming courses are listed on the calendar of events at www.sicp.com. The SICP supports the RCIS as the credential for all staff working in the cardiac catheterization laboratories. More and more hospitals are recognizing the specialized knowledge necessary for cath lab personnel and are supporting the credential. We encourage you to educate your physicians about the RCIS. For more information on the exam, visit Cardiovascular Credentialing International at www.cci-online.org.

We will hold our national meeting September 21-24, 2006 in beautiful San Diego. Don™t miss this conference, as it will offer three days packed full of up-to-date information and break-outs on leadership, RCIS review, chapter development and much, much more! We are still in the planning phase, so if you have a suggestion, let us know! I hope to see lots of SICP members there.

The SICP will be represented at the ACE meeting in New York City, October 8-11. We will be offering a review course during the conference. To find out more about this exciting conference, visit the website at http://www.ny-ace.com

We are excited to announce we will be at TCT in 2006. Visit our website often for more details.

Our national board has been restructured to better serve you. New committees are being formed:
Advocacy Committee
Convention and Conferences Committee
Chapter Development Committee
Membership Committee
If you are interested in finding out more about serving on a committee, contact our headquarters at membership @ sicp.com

Needless to say, I am very honored to serve the SICP as president. I am committed to maintaining the high standards set by our founders. The success of our organization and ultimately our own success is in our very own hands. Delivering the highest quality of care is the goal of every person working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory and we as a group have the ability to impact that delivery of care. I invite you to participate in these exciting times!

I am always pleased to hear from you and I am interested in your suggestions/comments. Please drop me a line at ljcathnurs @ houston.rr.com

Lynne Jones, RN, RCIS
President, SICP