The pandemic has intensified the need for nurses to have the most up-to-date education possible. To ensure that they stay informed about such topics as telehealth/teletriage, infection control, vaccination, policy, and leadership, the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) announced a 2020 virtual conference to be live-streamed on four consecutive Tuesdays beginning July 28, followed by extended on-demand access.
The virtual conference will keep much of the content originally planned for an in-person event in Chicago, and will feature live sessions as well as virtual networking, exhibit hall, poster presentations, and chat lobbies. Attendees can earn up to thirteen continuing nursing education (CNE) contact hours for the full conference, plus the opportunity for bonus CNE.
“Like many other organizations, we switched to a virtual format for safety and travel reasons,” AAACN president Kristene Grayem, MSN, CNS, PPCNP-BC, RN-BC, said. “While the nurses will miss being together, the virtual format has some distinct advantages. Our speakers can present the latest information, which is a huge advantage right now because everything is changing so dramatically. The online format also gives attendees flexibility if they need to watch later due to busy schedules.”
Grayem said conference planners are still in the process of finalizing sessions and other details, but those who are interested in attending can visit the AAACN website.
“This will be a very interactive event,” Grayem said. “Connecting and networking are very important, so we are designing the conference so attendees can engage with each other, as well as speakers and exhibitors. They’ll also be able to maximize their CNE value, with extended online access to all the sessions for two years.”
The conference live broadcasts will take place on the following Tuesdays:
- July 28, 11 am–6:15 pm ET (preconference sessions)
- August 4, 12 pm–5 pm ET (opening general session on COVID-19 and infectious disease; breakouts)
- August 11, 12 pm–5:30 pm ET (interactive Town Hall on COVID-19; breakouts)
- August 18, 12 pm–5:30 pm ET (breakouts; closing general session on mindfulness)
The extended access for all registrants will be posted in the AAACN online library.
The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing is a welcoming, unifying community for registered nurses in all ambulatory care settings. AAACN is devoted to advancing the art and science of ambulatory care nursing. Learn more at www.aaacn.org, aaacn@aaacn.org, or 800-262-6877.