Prospective Faculty - 2023 Cardiovascular Surgery Advanced Practice Bootcamp

Dean of Practice

Jennifer Reilly, DNP, APRN, MSN, ACNP-BC, CNOR, CRNFA

Dr. Reilly is our 2023 Dean of Practice overseeing programming and content for our bootcamp. Dr. Reilly grew up in Scottsdale, AZ where she was an 4A All-State Volleyball Player for all 4 years of her high school career. The daughter of two surgeons (Cardiothoracic and Vascular), Dr. Reilly was exposed to the Operating Room early on where she observed her parents operate often on the same surgical teams in high-risk cardiac cases at the Mayo Clinic. She attended the University of Arizona where she obtained her BSN in 2006, graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude. She began her career as a scrub nurse on the Cardiothoracic Surgery team at the Cleveland Clinic where she scrubbed-in on some of the most challenging cardiac and vascular cases. She quickly gained a reputation as a stellar clinician and was awarded a post-graduate research fellowship at Johns Hopkins University where she obtained both her MSN (with Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Certificate) and her DNP, which is the terminal degree for nursing practice. She successfully defended her Graduate Thesis on “The Impact of Operating Room Design in Cardiothoracic Surgery Efficiency and Outcomes”. She then went on to obtain her Registered Nurse First Assistant (RNFA) certificate from the University of Rochester Medical School in Upstate New York and was recruited by Dr. Girardi at New York Presbyterian to be his hand-picked first-assist on complex aortic cases including acute dissections, thoracoabdominal / descending repairs, and high-risk re-operations in the chest. She is now married to a Cardiothoracic Surgeon practicing in the Greater New York metroplex and has twin daughters. She continues to maintain a heavy case volume and leads trainings on acute resuscitation response teams in both the CVICU and CVOR.

Ashley Walczak, MBA, CCP, FPP

Distinguished Faculty Member Candidate - Nov-2023 CVSA Bootcamp (Kona, Hawaii - Four Seasons)

Operating Room Etiquette

What are some of the key pillars of proper CVOR Operating Room Etiquette to show leadership and 'executive presence' to the surgical team? Are there any communication or other protocols that you believe are important in these high-stakes and high-intensity cases?

Most Intense Case as a Cardiac Perfusionist

What has been the most intense case you've experience as a Perfusionist? What made it so intense and how did you handle yourself?

Technology as an Enabler in Cardiac Surgery

How do you feel technology can enable better communication between the Cardiac Surgical Team and family members during the intraoperative period? Do you believe a family should know when their family member codes on the table, or after the result is known?

Intraoperative Code

Have you been the Perfusionist when a cardiac surgery patient has arrested on the table? If so, what was your role and what do you think are keys for both you and the team to collaborate effectively? If not, what do you believe are the key elements to a successful resuscitation?

Surgeon / Perfusionist Relationship

What do you believe makes for a very successful and collaborative relationship between a Perfusionist and a Cardiac Surgeon? How do you anticipate a surgeon's needs and ensure he / she can maintain focus on the operative field?

Pet-Peeves in Cardiac Surgery

As a Leader in Cardiac Surgery, what are some pet-peeves amongst personnel in the CVOR? Are there any specific roles on the team that consistently impair optimal performance of the team? Do you believe a Dedicated Team of the same personnel in each role would facilitate better outcomes in high-risk cases?

Empowering Future Perfusionists

How do you feel you could use this platform to empower future Professionals potentially interested in Cardiovascular Perfusion? What has enabled you to be a leader and a go-to for surgeons?