The ACC’s Cardiac Care Associate (CCA) designation and membership group began in 2003 in response to ACC’s focus on team-based cardiovascular care, a decade later this group has grown to include more than 5,000 members of the cardiac care team, including nurse practitioners, registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, physician assistants and clinical pharmacists.

Among the group’s biggest accomplishments over the last decade:

• National and state-level committee positions for CCA members, including on the ACC’s Board of Trustees
• Certificate of Accreditation as a provider of continuing nursing education from the ANCC
• CCA-specific educational track, and dedicated pharmacology program, at Annual Scientific Sessions
• Ability to vote in ACC chapter elections
• Creation of the Associate of the American College of Cardiology (AACC) designation to recognize advanced professional achievement by CCA members. (Ten CCAs will receive this designation at Convocation during ACC.13.)
• Launch of the Cardiovascular Team Section

New this year, the first Distinguished Associate Award will be given at ACC.13 Convocation to Brenda Garrett. “I am humbly honored and proudly accept this award on behalf of all nurses, PA's and all those that compose the 'Cardio Team,'” said Brenda.

Check out the following video from Eileen M. Handberg, PhD, ARNP-BC, FACC, Margo B. Minissian, RN, ACNP-BC, CLS, AACC, and Michael Clark, PA-C, PhD, AACC, for more on the CCA Anniversary. You can also share your thoughts on role of the cardiovascular care team below.

[youtuber youtube='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBvidVwgLTI']

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