Building Healthier Communities Is Focus Of Ambulatory Care Nursing Conference, March 26-30, 2009 . Philadelphia Marriott . Philadelphia

Main Category: Nursing / Midwifery
Also Included In: Conferences
Article Date: 14 Oct 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Nurses have always carried the torch when it comes to improving patient care. The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) will give nurses the tools and education they need to provide expert care far into the future at its 34th Annual Conference to be held March 26-30, 2009, at the Philadelphia Marriott, Philadelphia, PA.

The conference will offer a broad slate of education sessions that focus on the theme "Leading the Revolution in Building Healthier Communities." The conference offerings have been designed to meet the needs of ambulatory care nurses who practice in all settings, including military and telehealth.

All sessions are taught by the country's top speakers. The conference is particularly valuable for RNs, LPNs, LVNs, administrators, clinicians, directors, managers, educators, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists. Attendees will earn continuing education credits, attend special events, network with colleagues and meet with vendors in the exhibit hall.

The complete registration brochure and full details about the conference are available at www.aaacn.org.

Program

Two pre-conference sessions will be offered Thursday, March 26: Leading the Journey to Nursing Excellence and Magnet Designation/ and Preparing Nurses for Roles in Community-Based Settings: An Innovative Education Approach.

The Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Review Course will also be offered on Thursday. The course is designed to help RNs prepare for the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Exam being offered on Sunday, March 29. This session will provide an overview of the specialty and present topics in a problem-solving format so attendees may refresh their knowledge and enhance critical thinking.

On Friday, March 27, the conference will officially open with an address by AAACN's 2008-09 President Karen Griffin, MSN, RN, CNAA. Immediately after, Mike Magee, MD, a well-known author and health care reform expert, will present the keynote address "Health Care Systems of the Future." Magee will examine the U.S. health care system and the role home-centered preventive health will play in coming years. The keynote address is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

Concurrent sessions will run from March 27-29. Topics include:

-- Managing depression in primary care
-- Hiring the best candidate for a telehealth position
-- Immunization update (newly recommended vaccines and new recommendations for existing vaccines)
-- Making clinical research in ambulatory care a reality
-- Building healthy communities by providing consumers responsive service and continuity of care
-- Resourcing evidence-based practice to enhance quality and safety
-- 'Ask the Experts' panel discussion (open forum for information exchange between ambulatory care nursing leaders)

AAACN's President for 2009-10, Kitty Shulman, MSN, RN, C, will close the conference with her "President's Address" on Sunday at 10:30 am. Immediately following, there will be an interactive Town Hall discussion on how RN responsibilities differ from those of LPNs/LVNs in the ambulatory care setting and how unlicensed assistive personnel should be appropriately used in ambulatory care.

Telehealth Offerings

Following the main portion of the conference, there will be a Telehealth Nursing Practice Core Course (TNPCC) on Monday, March 30 (7.5 contact hours). The course presents baseline knowledge for nurses who handle telephone/telehealth inquiries. The content is perfect for nurses new to telehealth, those who want to develop their skills further or train staff. Participants are encouraged to purchase the new TNPCC Manual (3rd Edition) as a comprehensive reference tool. This course requires a separate registration fee. If the manual is purchased with the course, special discounts are offered. Visit www.aaacn.org for more details.

In addition to the TNPCC course, there will be 9 special telehealth sessions offered at the conference. Topics include staffing strategies, Magnet designation issues, critical thinking skill development, and telehealth performance metrics.

New Leadership Track

AAACN has expanded the leadership content of the conference into a comprehensive track for 2009. Topics will include Service Excellence, Emotional Intelligence: Leading with the Head, Heart, and Hands, Financial Health: Connecting the Dots in the Pay for Performance Maze, Ask the Experts: A Panel Discussion, and Operational Excellence in Ambulatory Care: The Role of the Nurse Leader in Developing and "Selling" an Idea. Nurses attending all leadership sessions will receive a certificate of completion for leadership training.

Special Interest Groups

AAACN's Special Interest Groups (SIGs) will also meet during the conference. Participants interested in a subspecialty within ambulatory care may attend SIG meetings representing Pediatrics, Telehealth Nursing Practice, Tri-Service Military, Leadership, Veterans Affairs, and Staff Education.

In addition, there will be two full-day military pre-conferences: Wednesday, March 25, a Tri-Service Military conference will include briefings to increase awareness of military nursing issues and to gain a better appreciation of the varied roles of the military ambulatory care nurse; on Thursday, March 26, the U.S. Air Force will meet for their first annual conference to discuss implementation of the "Family Health Initiative," the Surgeon General's new approach to ambulatory care. In addition, senior Air Force nursing leaders will also speak on the future of Air Force nursing and the role of clinic nurses.

Special Events

On Thursday, March 26, AAACN will host a session to welcome new members and explain how they can get the most out of their membership. The welcome session will be followed by the Opening Reception and Silent Auction. Money raised at the Silent Auction will benefit AAACN's Scholarship Program.

Certification

The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) will administer the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Exam on Sunday, March 29. A separate application and registration fee are required for the exam. To download an application, visit www.aaacn.org and click on "Certification" or "Events." The application deadline is December 19, 2008.

Continuing Education

Participants may earn up to 16.5 contact hours during the three day-conference, and additional hours will be awarded for poster sessions and the pre-conference workshops. This conference is co-provided with Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. (AJJ).

AJJ is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.

AAACN is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP5366.

Registration

Complete conference information is available on AAACN's Web site, www.aaacn.org. For additional registration information, contact the AAACN National Office, East Holly Avenue Box 56, Pitman, NJ 08071-0056; phone: 1-800-AMB-NURS; fax: 856-589-7463; e-mail: aaacn@ajj.com.

Conference is Going Green

In order to be environmentally responsible and to increase convenience for attendees, all written presentation materials will be available on-line. In previous years, the documents were distributed in a syllabus that was over 200 pages. Prior to the conference, attendees may print out only the materials they will need for the sessions they will attend. In addition, evaluations of the conference and individual speakers will be completed on-line, with continuing education certificates printed immediately upon completion. Participants will also receive an eco-friendly tote bag for use at the conference.

On-line Library

AAACN has partnered with Digitell, Inc. to create a 2009 Annual Conference on-line library. Attendees will receive unlimited free access to all approved main conference education sessions for one full year. Attendees may invite two colleagues to access the library online, also for free. Content in the library will be available 14 days after the conference. For more information on the library, visit www.aaacn.org.

The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) is an association of registered nurses and other health care professionals who identify ambulatory care practice as essential to the continuum of high quality, cost-effective health care. As the premier nursing organization for this specialty, AAACN is devoted to advancing the art and science of ambulatory care nursing.

www.aaacn.org