Experience

2012- present MedStar Washington Hospital Center

Washington, DC

Chief NP Advanced Heart Failure Program

Manager for currently 10 NP’s within the program

Management and treatment of the pre and post cardiac transplant patients
Satellite OutPt Clinic NP for Advanced Heart Failure
Diagnosis and care of the pulmonary hypertension patient
Management of limited Adult Congenital Disease
Work up and management of patient undergoing BTT and Destination Therapy LVAD patients both pre and post operatively
Management of the patient who has undergone placement of a temporary assist device such as ECMO, Centrimag and limited Impella
Management of the stage D Heart Failure patients
Including: inotropes, ultrafiltration, and palliative care
Diagnosis and management of the Infiltrative CM population, both Amyloidosis and Sarcoidosis
Sub PI on multiple trials conducted by the Adv HF team

1995 – 2012 Washington Hospital Center

Washington, DC

Cardiac Transplant and Heart Failure Nurse Practitioner

Management of pre- and post-operative cardiac transplant patients
Management of patients in end-stage heart failure including home inotropes, mechanical assist devices and oral agents
Work-up and hospital management of patients undergoing investigational heart surgery for all CHF protocols
Use of Aquadex system

1996 – 1995 Washington Hospital Center

Washington, DC

Cardio-Vascular Surgery Nurse Practitioner

Pre- and post-operative care of patients undergoing open heart surgery
Post-operative care of patient on inotropes and ventilators
Liaison between patients/families and the surgeons

1992 – 1994 Veterans Medical Center

Washington, DC

Staff Nurse – Surgical Intensive Care

Care of post-operative surgical patients
Preceptorship of new staff in the care of the open-heart surgery patient
Inservice education provider for hemodynamic monitoring

1983 – 1992 George Washington University Medical Center

Washington, DC

Staff Nurse – Medical/Surgical Intensive Care Unit

1982 – 1987 – Care of the postoperative, as well as the medically ill patients
1987 – 1992 – Clinical Educator on the care of the open-heart patient, as well as the care of the heart transplant patient

1980 – 1983 George Washington University Medical Center

Washington, DC

Staff Nurse – Medical Unit

Education

2007 Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Certificate in Health Care Finance

1994 George Mason University

Fairfax, VA

MSN, ANP

Member of Sigma Theta Tau

1980 University of Vermont

Burlington, VT

BSN

Publications

“The next ten years” Heart Lung 2014 Jan; 43(2):88

“Home Management of the Failing Heart” AJN, Dec. 2001, vol. 101, No 12 pg 41-4.

“Supporting the Heart” Advance for Nurses, March 18, 2002, DC/Baltimore Issue pg 14-16.

“Understanding Heart Failure” LPN 2009 March/April, Vol 5, No2 pg 28-35.

The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) certification review course: the impact on heart failure nurses' knowledge Kelley M. Anderson PhD, FNP, CHFN-K, Cynthia Bither MSN, ANP, ACNP, CHFN, AACC Natalie Andon BS, BSN, RN, CHFN Heart & Lung: The Journal of Acute and Critical Care, 2018-03-01, Volume 47, Issue 2, Pages 166-168,

Editor: Advanced Heart Failure: From Diagnosis to Management AAHFN - June 2017 Published in May 2014:

Disease Management guidebook from AAHFN – Chapter 11- Process of building an Adv HF Program

“Unusual Causes of Cardiomyopathy”, CEU portion – Amyloid Cardiomyopathy. Issue 38, Winter 2014 The Connection; The Official Newsletter of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses; [January 2014]

HFSA and AAHFN Joint Position Statement: Advocating for a Full Scope of 3 Nursing Practice and Leadership in Heart Failure. Christopher S Lee, Barry H Greenberg, Ann S Laramee, Susan E Ammon, Marilyn Prasun, Marie Galvao, Lynn V Doering, M Eugene Sherman, Lynne Warner Stevenson, Douglas D Gregory, Paul A Heidenreich, Navin K Kapur, John B O'Connell, Anne L Taylor, Joseph A Hill, Linda Baas, Ashley Gibbs, Kismet Rasmusson, Connie Lewis, Peggy Kirkwood, Juanita Reigle, Lisa Rathman, Cynthia Bither Journal of cardiac failure (Impact Factor: 3.25). 11/2012; 18(11):811-2. DOI:10.1016/j.cardfail.2012.09.001

Perceived barriers and facilitators to patients receiving 60 minutes of heart failure education: a survey of AAHFN members. Linda S Baas, Peggy Kirkwood, Connie Lewis, Marilyn A Prasun, Juanita Reigle, Cynthia Bither, Lisa Rathman, Linda Wick, Marie Galvao Heart & lung: the journal of critical care (Impact Factor: 1.04). 01/2013; 43(1):3-5. DOI:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2013.10.013

The quest to identify the ideal patient for early left ventricular assist device implantation as destination therapy. Marie Galvao, Cynthia J Bither Center for Advanced Cardiac Therapy, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA. Heart & lung: the journal of critical care (Impact Factor: 1.04). 05/2012; 41(3):215-7. DOI:10.1016/j.hrtlng.2012.02.011

Journal Reviewer for Heart &Lung (Elsevier)

Certifications

Adult Nurse Practitioner

Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

ACLS

BCLS

Certified Heart Failure Nurse AAHFN (ANCC)

Memberships

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses - Past President

American College of Cardiology-Associate of the American College of Cardiology

International Society for Heart and Lung Transplant

University of Maryland School of Nursing Faculty Associate

Heart Failure Society of America

Advisory boards:

Multiple Device Companies and Pharmacologic Industries with new and innovative therapies for HF

Speakers Bureau: (no longer active)

SmithKline Beecham, CHF Solutions, Alnylam

Speaking Engagements in Synopsis:

Organizations I have spoken for include

Invited Speaker for HFSA

Invited Speaker for AAHFN

Invited Speaker for ISHLT

Invited Speaker for ACC

Invited Speaker for AHA

Multiple Annual updates with the Greater Washington Area of Critical Care Nurses

Washington Hospital Center Critical Care Bridge class for nurses on hemodynamics and inotropes

Caribbean Cardiac Society Annual Meeting – Ultrafiltration

Invited Speaker on HF and Ultrafiltration in St Thomas USVI

ACC – Global Heart Failure Initiative for Nurses

Lectures in Dubai, Kuwait, Manila, Colombia, Seoul, Shanghai, Taiwan,

Speaker for the Washington Hospital Center

Winter CME 2000-2006

The use of Home Inotropes

When to refer for Advanced HF Therapies

Care of the Heart Transplant PT

Annual HF Symposium

Presenter for the FDA Panel on Ultrafiltration in 2008

Meetings I have Chaired and planned:

Speaker and organizer of the AAHFN Advanced Heart Failure Symposium- 2013-present

Workshop for Mechanical Circulatory Support for AAHFN 2011, 2012, 2020 and 2021