ISN Educational Ambassador in Latin America
Breaking language barriers in El Salvador to teach the importance of vascular care for kidney patients.
Last September, Educational Ambassador Octavio Salgado from University of Zulia Faculty of Medicine, Venezuela visited the Servicio de Nefrologia, Hospital Nacional Rosales in El Salvador. Aside from giving valuable training, he implemented a new vascular access policy tailored to local needs and resources.
Salgado believes: “Helping nephrologists to perform vascular access surgery will reduce costs and levels of catheter-related morbidity and mortality.”
With Host Institution representative Ricardo Leiva, he trained three nephrologists in vascular access surgery and gave a workshop for nursing personnel on fistula handling, diagnosing and managing puncture-related complications.
“As nephrologists, we need to get directly involved, not only as clinicians providing care in the pre-and postoperative period, but also as vascular access surgeons and access coordinators.” says Leiva.
Many nephrologists working in public institutions in Latin America cannot afford to attend courses overseas. This ISN Program is a cost-efficient and direct way to help increase academic and training levels.
In this region, there are outstanding teachers who can effectively help any center improve the quality of nephrology care. Through the program local doctors are trained in their own center by experts speaking the same language and aware of limitations.
Leiva adds: “His visit has a multiplying effect – the trainees of today will become the teachers of tomorrow.”
For more information about the ISN Educational Ambassador Program, click here.
