ABOUT PROFESSIONAL NURSING SEMINAR'S INSTRUCTORS

LOUISE M. PASAKA, RN, BSN, CNOR, RNFA
Louise has been an RNFA since 1972 and an RNFA instructor since 1980, having planned, implemented, and instructed one of the very first RNFA courses in the United States for St. Louis Community College, St. Louis, MO, and the most recent program for Professional Nursing Seminars in Taos, NM. She was privately employed ten years as an RNFA for a general and vascular surgery practice, followed by eight years assisting in all specialty areas at a busy metropolitan hospital.

During that time, she promoted the position of RNFAs throughout the St. Louis area and on a national level of AORN. She has been a session speaker at many RNFA Forums and AORN Congresses. Louise has been active in the AORN RNFA Specialty Assembly as follows:

• Past-Chair Resource Person and Meeting Planning Liaison
  
• Chair of the RNFA Specialty Assembly Governing Council
  
• Governing Council Members-At-Large Representative
  
• Liaison from the Governing Council to the NCB:PNI (now CB:PN)
  
• Education Committee Liaison to the Governing Council
  
• Education Committee Member
  

Louise received a diploma of nursing from Burge School of Nursing, Springfield, MO, and a BSN from University of New Mexico. She is currently enrolled in a Distance Education MSN program for Family Nurse Practitioner at Clarkson College in Omaha, Nebraska. Her expertise and experience as an RNFA, educator, and leader are valuable resources for many professionals.

DR STEVEN CETRULO
A general surgeon in Taos, NM, also teaches sessions in the program. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and is Certified by the American Board of Surgery. He graduated from the New Jersey College of Medicine in 1967, and completed internship residency at UCLA's School of Medicine in 1974. Dr Cetrulo is an excellent speaker and teacher. His interests, as you can see, far exceed surgery! He is an avid skier and windsurfer, among many other things.

JULIE DAX, RN, MSN, CCRN
Julie is Nurse Educator, Adult Critical Care Units, University Hospital, Albuquerque. She graduated from UNM College of Nursing and has received many awards and recognitions, including the Distinguished Nurse Educator award. She is an ACLS Instructor and has served as Chairperson for the Nurse Education Committee for the American Heart Association; and has served as Board Member for the AHA. Julie has served on numerous committees for University Hospital, has given many presentations, teaches for the Trauma Nurse Specialist Program, and has recently authored and co-authored chapters in Mosby's Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and Management of Clinical Problems, 1999. Students always enjoy Julie's approach to surgical hemodynamic and metabolic problems in perioperative patients. She presents clinical cases for critical thinking exercise during her sessions.