Contact Us | Sign In
Member Spotlight
Member spotlight

The Society for Vascular Nursing (SVN) aims to highlight our members who are making a positive impact in their careers as vascular nurses. SVN members work hard every day advancing the care of individuals living with vascular disease and supporting the mission of the Society. Interested in being part of the member spotlight or nominating a peer? Email Moe at mmalek@vascularsociety.org or complete our survey for inclusion!

 
Kim Bissonette

SVN Member since February 2024
What is your personal background in vascular nursing (how long have you worked in the vascular field, did you practice something before, etc.)?

I was first introduced to vascular nursing when I became an OR nurse. During my time as an OR nurse, I worked with two different vascular groups and circulated a variety of cases such AAA repairs, AVF/AVG creations, bypasses, and amputations. I was an OR nurse for 20 years, and prior to that I was a pediatric nurse. More recently, I retired from the hospital where I spent the bulk of my career and am now the nurse manager of a vascular access center. I have been in my current position for 9 months.

What is your favorite aspect of vascular nursing?

My favorite aspect of vascular nursing is being able to assist patients who are having significant health issues that exert a tremendous toll on their lives. By taking every step feasible to ensure the best patient experience possible, my team and I are able to not only allow them to continue dialysis without issue, but also make them feel cared for and hopefully more in control of their health.

What is the most challenging part of your job as a vascular nurse?

The most challenging part of my job as a vascular nurse is keeping our patient population engaged in being proactive with their health and access site. Many times they are overwhelmed with the constant appointments for hemodialysis, nephrologists, PCP, and others, that they will frequently skip maintenance appointments for their access. In their mind, dialysis is going well, so therefore they do not need to come in for those appointments. I try to counteract this by providing education and compassion, however have experienced limited success.

 Have there been changes in your work force? How so?

For the past several years, there has been a relatively high turnover, especially among the nursing staff. I have also noticed this trend when reviewing applications. It is common to have multiple jobs on each resume, each one lasting approximately 12-18 months on average.

What are your personal goals within the vascular field (implement protocols, increase patient volume, research, societal involvement, etc.)?                      My personal goals within the vascular field are to work towards eliminating factors that result in high no show rates for our patients, as well as assist with research that is ongoing within my organization to ensure the best possible patient outcomes.

What is a “fun fact” about yourself that you would like others to know? 

A fun fact about myself: Most of my life I have been a dog lover (and owner). Several years ago a stray cat ran into my house looking for food. I adopted her and have been a cat lover and owner ever since. To be clear, I still love dogs as well.

Address: 9400 W. Higgins Rd., Ste 315 Rosemont, Illinois 60018   |   Phone: 800-258-7188   |   Email: svs@svnnet.org   |   Sitemap