Congratulations to Gail Egan Sansivero, MS, ANP

Winner of the 2008 Suzanne LaVere Herbst Award For Excellence in Vascular Access  

Gail has over 20 years of experience in Oncological and Vascular Access Nursing, is a Clinical Instructor in Radiology at Albany Medical College, has 17 published articles and 86 major national and international presentations to her credit as well as participation in 2 funded research studies. Gail is a Past-President and Past-Board Member of AVA and is currently serving on the AVA Professional Advisory Council. She also maintains membership in several professional organizations including AVA, SIR, ONS, the American Cancer Society and Oley Foundation, serving in a variety of appointed positions in most of these organizations.

As impressive as her CV may be, it is the impact that she has made on her colleagues and patients; both past and present that speaks most to Gail’s accomplishments.

She has been described by those who have met her both personally and professionally as “passionate about her role in vascular access”, “compassionate with her patient population”, “professional and an expert in her field” and the “best colleague a person could ask for”.

In her Herbst Award Lecture, Gail focused her remarks on “Tales from the Basement”, or what her patients have taught her over the years. She compassionately and eloquently discussed some very complex and unique patient vignettes and followed each with a wonderfully stated reminder that is applicable to all!

Here are a few of her “reminders”

• Always have a healthy respect for the possibilities in any clinical situation..
  AND be prepared for them!
• Sending clinicians to place and manage VAD’s in the absence of adequate education, clinical training and mentoring is a disservice to the specialty, clinicians and most of all our patients
  Be a teacher, be a mentor!
• Channel your fears
  Learn something new every week!
• Prove what you’re worth, prove what you’ve got
  Share it with others so they can be that good too!
• Learn from your mistakes, and say you’re sorry
  Foster an environment in which others can learn from their mistakes, too!
• Walking the mile (or 60) is always worth it
  Share the journey!
• Listen, Listen, Listen
• ALWAYS tell the truth
  There’s such a thing as gentle truth
• Be trustworthy

Gail closed her lecture with a quote from Henry David Thoreau:

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”

AVA is privileged to SEE one of our true shining stars! Thank you, Gail, for all that you do and congratulations on being selected as this year's Herbst Award recipient!