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More than 1,200 nurses attended the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) 42^nd Annual Conference held recently in New Orleans, a number that broke all previous records for this thriving specialty nursing association.

With heightened interest in such areas as Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCTM), telehealth, and other ambulatory care nursing roles, nurses rely on the AAACN conference for high-level quality education. As a result, AAACN is enjoying a groundswell of growth and success as it expands, offering broad education and services that help nurses excel in their professional practice. 

“One of the best aspects of this conference is how warm and welcoming the AAACN community is,” said 2017-18 AAACN president M. Elizabeth Greenberg, PhD, RN-BC, C-TNP. “I’ve been so impressed by nurses’ willingness to share their expertise and help their colleagues reach their potential. During the conference I witnessed time and again the nurses working together to advance our practice and help our voices to be heard.”

Conference Highlights: Outgoing AAACN president Debra Cox, MS, RN, CENP, opened the conference on May 10, with the official “Welcome and President’s Address.” Cox encouraged attendees to make new connections at the event as well as share what they learned with colleagues at home.

Immediately after the welcome session, author and nursing leader Connie Merritt, BSN, RN, PHN, delivered the conference keynote address, “Pressing Forward in Challenging Times.” Merritt offered attendees ways to meet the demands of today’s complex healthcare environment by confidently leading and inspiring others.

Concurrent and general sessions on a broad variety of ambulatory care nursing topics continued through Friday, May 12. Additional continuing education was offered with 120 poster presentations that showcased the nurses’ best practices and innovations.

Attendees enjoyed special events, networking, and conversations with vendors in the exhibit hall. At the always popular opening reception, the silent auction, which benefits AAACN’s scholarships, grants, and awards program, raised $6,000.

The conference closed on May 13, with the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Review Course post-conference workshop. (View conference photos.)

Highlights include:

New Officers Inducted: Greenberg, who is Associate Clinical Professor, Northern Arizona University, Tucson, AZ, was inducted as AAACN 2017-2018 president for a one-year term. In this role, she will lead the AAACN board of directors (BOD) in fulfilling the association’s strategic plan and steering the direction and vision of AAACN in the coming year.

CEO Recognition: The BOD honored Cyndee Nowicki Hnatiuk, EdD, RN, CAE, and FAAN, who is retiring from her role as AAACN CEO. Hnatiuk served AAACN for twenty-two years and helped the association steadily grow and succeed. She received a lifetime AAACN membership and the highest praise from AAACN leaders.

“Cyndee is the quintessential nurse leader and professional,” Greenberg said. “More than any other individual, Cyndee has been responsible for guiding and nurturing AAACN into the exceptional organization it is today.”

Awards and Scholarships: The following awards were presented:

• President’s Above and Beyond Award (highest award to AAACN members who exceed the expectations of their volunteer roles). Two recipients:
  • Joan Pate, MS, BSN, RN-BC, was recognized for her longtime commitment and exemplary service to ambulatory care nursing and AAACN, including ongoing and active contributions to AAACN Viewpoint and other publications, as well as serving on the Editorial Board and Leadership SIG Advisory Board.
  • Beth Ann Swan, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, was honored for continually seeking opportunities to elevate the role of the ambulatory care nurse and for her many contributions to AAACN, including serving as past president disseminating and implementing the Care Coordination and Transition model.
• Research/Evidence Based Practice Project Award: $1,000, Julie Alban, MSN, MPH, RN-BC, CCCTM, Belleview, FL, for her study, “Ambulatory Care Nurses’ Role in Advance Care Planning.”
• Conference Scholarship (members in nursing 2+ years): Sarah Espin, MSN, RN-BC, VHA-CM, Inverness, FL.
• Conference Scholarship (members/New RNs in nursing two years or less): Linda Schnolis, BSN, RN, Philadelphia, PA.
• Conference Scholarship (nursing students): Angela Williams, Boise, ID.
• Education Scholarship: Gina Hernandez, BSN, RN, PHN, Valley Center, CA.
• Clinical Excellence Award (sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. Nursing Economic$ Foundation, given to a AAACN member who personifies clinical excellence in ambulatory care): $500, Jane “CJ” Mazzeo, BSN, RN-BC, CCCTM, VHA-CM, Leesburg, FL.
• Administrative Excellence Award: Julie Tuttle, MSN, RN-BC, Nashua, NH.
• 2017 Viewpoint Writer’s Award (given for an outstanding article published in the association’s official newsletter, Viewpoint): Dawn M. Rito, BSN, RN, Clinical Nurse, and The Metro Health System Cleveland, OH, for the article: Changing the Physical Environment in the Urodynamic/Gynecological Procedure Room, May/June 2016.

AAACN also awarded the Candia Baker Laughlin Certification Scholarship and Certified in Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCCTM) Certification Grant to two recipients. Those recipients will be announced after they have passed the ambulatory care nursing certification exam and the CCCTM exam.

The poster presentation winners are:

First Place: Group B, Poster 3: Enhanced Nurse Visits for Medication and Lifestyle Management for Patients with Uncontrolled Hypertension. Presented by a nursing team from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Second Place: Group A, Poster 4: RN Care Coordination for Patients with Metabolic Syndrome in Ambulatory Care. Presented by a nursing team from the Edward J. Hines, Jr. VA Hospital, Hines, IL

Third Place: Group A, Poster 22: A Toolkit for New Ambulatory Care Nurses: Applying Available Resources for the Job at Hand. Presented by nurses from the Veterans Health System/Southern Tier Outpatient Clinics North Florida South Georgia VHS, Inverness, FL; and the Department of Veterans Affairs, Jacksonville, FL.

Online Library: Nurses who attended the full conference have access to an extensive source of CNE contact hours in the AAACN Online Library, which can be used for certification and licensure requirements. For more information about accessing conference content, visit library.aaacn.org/aaacn/

2018 Conference: The AAACN 43^rd Annual Conference will be held May 9-12, 2018, in Lake Buena Vista, FL. Poster abstracts are being accepted through December 15, 2017.

For more information about AAACN, visit aaacn.org; call 800-262-6877, or email aaacn@aaacn.org.

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AAACN Annual Conference draws record attendance with focus on evolving roles for nurses in outpatient settings

As health care shifts from the hospital to the outpatient setting, the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) continues to expand its involvement in establishing the scope and standards of practice, and measurement of the value of ambulatory care nurses on the quality of patient care and outcomes. Nurses and their employers took note, sending an unprecedented 1,119 attendees to Palm Springs, CA, for the AAACN Annual Conference, which took place May 18-21.

Building on the success of 2015, AAACN highlighted the growth and impact of Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCTM) for nurses and nurse leaders. On May 19, Beth Ann Swan, PhD, CRNP, FAAN, from AAACN, and Mary Beth Kingston, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, and Claire Zangerle, MSN, MBA, RN, from the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) joined in a panel discussion aimed at the nurse leader’s role in CCTM: understanding why it matters and how to make it a reality in their facilities. On May 20, Traci S. Haynes, MSN, RN, CEN, facilitated a town hall discussion where nurses provided practical information for using CCTM “on the ground” with patients and their families.

Nurse-Sensitive Indicators (NSIs) were also a topic of discussion at the conference. AAACN members Rachel Start, MSN, RN, NE-BC, and Ann Marie Matlock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, were recognized for their work on the Ambulatory Care Nurse-Sensitive Indicator Industry Report, a new document recommending more meaningful NSIs for ambulatory care nurses, measuring elements of patient care and patient outcomes that are markedly different than those currently used in acute care settings.

“The conference energized us in all areas of ambulatory care nursing practice: care coordination strategies, telehealth risks and program models, as well as data management and leadership development,” said Debra L. Cox, MS, RN, 2016-2017 president of AAACN. “Many networking opportunities, 140 posters, and beautiful Palm Springs weather capped off a memorable week. The coming year promises to bring continued partnering to transform healthcare and strengthen the role and understanding of ambulatory care nursing.”

Conference Highlights: Debra L. Cox, MS, RN, was inducted as AAACN 2016-2017 president for a one-year term. Cox is the nurse administrator for e-health at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and helps develop, implement, and promote e-health practices for health care teams across all patient settings.

Faith Roberts, MSN, RN, is the director of magnet, professions practice and parish nursing at Carle in Urbana, Illinois. Her keynote address on May 18, Ambulatory Nursing ROCKS!, examined the impact of ambulatory care nurses on their patients through humor and stories of everyday practice.

At the meeting, attendees networked with colleagues and met with thirty-five vendors in the sold-out exhibit hall. Additional continuing nursing education was offered with a record 140 poster presentations displayed in two sessions. Attendees also gave as much as they received, raising more than $3,800 during the silent auction, benefiting the AAACN scholarship and research grant program.

Awards and Scholarships: The following awards were presented at the conference:

• President’s Above and Beyond Award (highest award to an AAACN member who exceeds the expectations of a volunteer role): Rachel Start, MSN, RN, NE-BC, and Ann Marie Matlock, DNP, RN, NE-BC, were recognized for their work in leading the Nurse-Sensitive Indicators project and report.

• Special Above and Beyond Award was presented to Patricia Reichart, retiring AAACN director of association services, for her fourteen years of outstanding work and service to AAACN.
• Clinical Excellence Award (sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. Nursing Economic$ foundation, given to an AAACN member who personifies clinical excellence in ambulatory care): $500 – Beth Crespo, BSN, RN-BC, Dunstable, MA.
• 2016 ViewPoint Writer’s Award (given for an outstanding article published in the association’s official newsletter, ViewPoint): Joanne Martin, MBA, HCM, BSN, RN, Kahului, HI received her award at the ViewPoint Editorial Board Meeting for her article Are You Prepared for the Office Emergency?
• Education Scholarship: $1,000 – Kathleen Martinez, BSN, RN, CPN, Arvada, CO.
• Conference Scholarship: $1,000 – Julie Alban, MSN, MPH, RN-BC, CCCTM, The Villages, FL.
• Nursing Student Conference Scholarship (including complimentary conference registration): $1,000 – Annie Kittelson, San Antonio, TX.
• Research/Evidence-Based Practice Grant: $1,000 – Quanna Batiste, DNP, RN, HCSM, West Hills, CA, for Capturing the Effectiveness of the RN in Ambulatory Care.
• Poster Winners (most posters will be available to members at AAACN.org):

• 1st Place. Rekindling the Joy of Nursing – Through Efficient Technologies. Joyce Darlene Billingy, BSN, RN, workflow consultant, Southern California Permanente Medical Group, Pasadena, CA; et al.
• 2nd Place. Impacting HTN Control through Effective Blood Pressure Measurement: An Integrated Care Team Approach. Deena Gilland, MSN, RN, OCN, VP patient services and CNO, Emory Ambulatory Care, Emory Healthcare, Atlanta, GA
• 3rd Place. Academic Practice Partnerships and Expanding Roles in a New RN Transition-to-Practice Program in Ambulatory Care Settings. Cathryn Ann Halford-Cook, DNP, RN, CNS, CNL, adjunct faculty, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA; et al.

Online Library: Full conference attendees have online access to a rich source of CNE contact hours in the AAACN Online Library, which can be used for certification and licensure requirements.

2017 Conference: The AAACN 42nd Annual Conference will be held May 10-13, 2017 at the New Orleans Marriott in New Orleans, LA. Poster abstracts are being accepted until December 15, 2016.

For more information about AAACN, call 800-262-6877 or email aaacn@ajj.com.

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American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing celebrates 39th Annual Conference, gives awards

Ambulatory care nurses from across the country gathered for the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) 39th Annual Conference, an outstanding education program that took place May 19–22 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Nearly 700 attendees advanced their practice and leadership skills with clinical, management, and leadership sessions. Hot topics this year included evidence-based practice, shared decision making to improve outcomes, easing care transitions, and improving satisfaction.

Pre-conference workshops and educational opportunities demonstrated to the nurses in attendance how caring for oneself has a direct impact on the quality of care one provides, safety in practice, and job satisfaction.

The Town Hall meeting, always a popular feature of the conference, focused on ambulatory care nursing sensitive indicators, which will help strengthen the value of nursing in ambulatory practice settings by defining benchmarks to improve outcomes for patients. Attendees learned about the work of AAACN’s Nurse Sensitive Indicator Task Force and had the opportunity to share best practices via the open forum. Finally, more than 100 nurses prepared for certification with the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Review Course.

“As healthcare continues to move from inpatient to outpatient settings, workforce projections support the need for more nurses in outpatient settings,” AAACN president Marianne Sherman, MS, RN-BC, said. “Defining those roles and establishing the importance of the role of the RN in these settings is vital to our profession. This is a time for nurse leaders to step forward and establish that ambulatory nurses are vital to the quality of patient care.”

Conference Highlights: At the meeting, Sherman was inducted as the 2014–2015 AAACN president. Sherman is director of Nursing and Professional Standards for Ambulatory at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, Colorado.

Attendees enjoyed a humorous look at what is needed to survive in healthcare today from Donna Wright, MS, RN, who gave the keynote address on leadership and resiliency. Donna shared strategies and tools meant to help everyone in healthcare reach the outcomes they desire.

Attendees networked with colleagues, met with vendors in the packed exhibit hall, and viewed seventy-one poster presentations. The Silent Auction on Tuesday, May 20, raised over $5,000 for the AAACN scholarship and research grant program.

Awards and Scholarships: The following awards were presented at the conference:

• President’s Above and Beyond Award (highest award, given to an individual who exceeds the expectations of a volunteer role): Kathy Mertens, RN, MN, MPH, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, Washington.
• Excellence Awards (sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc., Nursing Economic$ Foundation, given to AAACN members who personify administrative and clinical excellence in ambulatory care):
  • Administrative Excellence Award: Cecilia G. Fowler, BSN, RN, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, Houston, Texas.
  • Clinical Excellence Award:  Kellie A. Johnson, Lt Col, USAF, NC, 10th Medical Group, USAF Academy.
• 2013 ViewPoint Writer’s Award (given for the outstanding article published in the association’s official newsletter, ViewPoint): Barbara Weber, MS, RN-BC, and Anne Hammer, BA, BSN, RN, from Denver Health were recognized for their article, “From Chaos to Control: Implementation of Mass Influenza Immunization Clinics,” published in the September/October 2013 issue.
• Education Scholarship: Jenny Richardson, MS, RN, CNS-BC, Portland VA Medical Center, Beaverton, Oregon.
• Research Grant: Susan M. Brennan, RN, CPN, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, for her research entitled Outcomes of Cultural Change and Fever Teaching Intervention in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting.
• Conference Scholarships (two presented to provide financial assistance to attend the AAACN conference):
  • Dedria Renee Tuck, BSN, RN-BC, CPN, Carilion Clinic Family Medicine, Roanoke, Virginia.
  • Patricia A. White, RN, BSN, CPN, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• Certification Scholarship Named for Candia Baker Laughlin: The first recipient of the $1,000 Candia Baker Laughlin Certification Scholarship was Janice Mills, MPsSc, RN-BC, of Penn State Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania. The scholarship covers the exam fee, study materials, and other expenses related to achieving certification.

Online Library: Full conference attendees have indefinite online access to conference recordings and handouts in the AAACN Online Library (www.prolibraries.com/aaacn). In addition, conference registration for each attendee includes Online Library access for two colleagues. Nurses who were unable to attend the conference can purchase access to the full conference in the Online Library, or they can purchase individual sessions at the end of July.

For more information about accessing conference content, visit www.aaacn.org/library.

2015 Conference: The AAACN 40th Annual Conference will be held April 15–18, 2015, at the Hilton Orlando, Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Poster abstracts are now being accepted.

For more information, visit aaacn.org, call800-262-6877, or email aaacn@ajj.com.

[From the Aug/Sep 2014 issue of AnswerStat magazine]

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A strong education program drew over 700 nurses to the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) 38th Annual Conference, April 23-26, 2013, in Las Vegas, NV. Attendees advanced their practice and skills with clinical, management, and leadership sessions. Hot topics this year included the latest on care coordination and patient-centered medical homes.

Another important aspect of the conference was addressed at the popular town hall meeting: patient and nurse wellness. Attendees learned about wellness in the ambulatory care setting and shared their thoughts and initiatives on taking care of both their patients and themselves.

The pre- and post-conference workshops and educational opportunities were also a hit. Nurses explored the work and workflows in ambulatory practice, learned how to write for publication, prepared for certification with the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Review Course, and polished their telehealth skills with the Telehealth Nursing Practice Core Course (TNPCC).

The AAACN conference highlights include:

• Susan M. Paschke, MSN, RN-BC, NEA-BC, was inducted as the 2013-2014 AAACN president.
• Attendees raved about “Why Courage?,” the keynote address by Virginia R. Beeson, MSN, NEA-BC. Beeson explored courage as a leadership skill and provided several suggestions on how to become a more courageous leader.
• The AAACN silent auction on Tuesday, April 23, raised $4,600 for the scholarship and research grant program.

Awards and scholarships were presented during the opening ceremonies on Tuesday:

• President’s Above and Beyond Award is the highest award and given to an individual who exceeds the expectations of a volunteer role. It went to Margarita Gore, MBA, BSN, RN-BC, from the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ.
• Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. Nursing Economic$ Foundation, given to AAACN members who personify administrative and clinical excellence in ambulatory care, were awarded. The Administrative Excellence Award was given to Sharon Holland, RN-BC; Scott and White Healthcare, Temple, TX and the Clinical Excellence Award went to Beth Ann McMurtry, RN-BC, CDE, HC; Scott and White Healthcare, Temple, TX.
• 2012 ViewPoint Writer’s Award, given for the outstanding article published in the association’s official newsletter, ViewPoint, went to Sarah Muegge, MSN, RN-BC, of Cox Health, Springfield, MO. She was recognized for her article, “Practice the Right ‘Rights:’ A Strategy Promoting Effective Immunization Delivery.” It was published in the September/October 2012 issue.
• Conference Scholarships to provide financial assistance to attend the AAACN conference went to Diane Lapars, LPN, of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH and Kathleen Martinez, BSN, RN, CPN, from Children’s Hospital, Aurora, CO.
• New Certification Scholarship: A $1,000 certification scholarship will be instituted in Baker Laughlin’s honor and awarded annually to a nurse member seeking certification. The scholarship will cover the exam fee, study materials, and other expenses related to achieving certification. Members who wish to apply for this new scholarship can download the application form from the AAACN Website. The deadline for all award and scholarship applications is November 15, 2013.

Full conference attendees have indefinite online access to conference recordings and handouts in the AAACN Online Library. In addition, conference registration for each attendee includes Online Library access for two colleagues. Nurses who were unable to attend the conference can purchase access to the full conference in the Online Library or individual sessions at the end of June. For more information about accessing conference content, visit www.prolibraries.com/aaacn.

The AAACN 39th Annual Conference will be May 19-22, 2014, at the Marriott New Orleans, in New Orleans, LA. Poster abstracts are now being accepted.

[From the June/July 2013 issue of AnswerStat magazine]

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The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) enjoyed a record-breaking conference attendance – of over 750 nurses – at the 37th Annual Conference, May 2-5, 2012, in Orlando, Florida. Nurses convened to strengthen their skills and explore the latest clinical, management, and leadership trends in ambulatory care and telehealth nursing. Topics focused on advancing practice and leadership and included enhancing quality and safety, the many settings and multiple roles of ambulatory care nurses, medical home models, and telephone triage.

Healthcare reform and its impact on the ambulatory care nurse was a hot topic throughout the conference and was the subject of both a general session and the town hall meeting. The town hall experience offered attendees the opportunity to share best practices and question an expert panel about the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and other topics.

The pre- and post-conference workshops and educational opportunities also enjoyed record-setting attendance. Nurses learned to identify legal pitfalls and safeguard their practice, prepared for certification with the Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification Review Course, and polished their telehealth skills with the Telehealth Nursing Practice Core Course (TNPCC).

Conference Highlights: Highlights of this year’s conference included:

• Suzanne N. Wells, MSN, RN, was inducted as the 2012-2012 AAACN president.
• “Livin’, Laughin’, and Learning’…Through the Years,” the keynote address by Barbee Bancroft, MSN, RN, PNP, had attendees raving. Bancroft emphasized how important it is for nurses to maintain their health and balance, but did so with a humorous spin that kept attendees laughing.
• Attendees networked with colleagues, met with vendors in the packed exhibit hall, and viewed 50 poster presentations.
• The AAACN silent auction raised $4,500 for the association’s scholarship and research grant program.

Awards and Scholarships: The following awards were presented on Wednesday, May 2, during the opening ceremonies:

• President’s Above and Beyond Award (highest award, given to an individual who exceeds the expectations of a volunteer role): Carol Ann Attwood, MLS, AHIP, MPH, RN,C; Mayo Clinic, AZ.
• Excellence Awards (sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. Nursing Economic$ Foundation, given to AAACN members who personify administrative and clinical excellence in ambulatory care):
  • Administrative Excellence Award: Janet Fuchs, MBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC; Cleveland Clinic
  • Clinical Excellence Award: Janette Meier, RN; University of Colorado Hospital
• 2011 ViewPoint Writer’s Award (given for the outstanding article published in the association’s official newsletter, ViewPoint): Stanley Soria, RN, BC; Denver Health Rocky Mountain Poison and Drug Center, was recognized for his article, “Intimate Partner Violence in the Ambulatory Care Setting,” published in the May/June 2011 issue.
• Education Scholarships (awarded to help cover costs of tuition, books, and academic supplies): Dedria R. Tuck, RN, CTL; Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA ($1,500 scholarship)
• Conference Scholarships (Four scholarships presented to provide financial assistance to attend the AAACN conference):
  • Deborah Byrne-Barta, Children’s Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
  • Kathleen Bozek, Northern Westchester Hospital, Yorktown, NY
  • Wanda Mayo, Amerigroup, Arlington, TX
  • Dedria R. Tuck, Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, VA
• Research Grant: Pamela Sanford, MSN, RN-BC, CNS; Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX, received a research grant for the study, “Medication Adherence in Chronically Ill Patients.”

Online Library: Full conference attendees have indefinite online access to conference recordings and handouts in the AAACN online library. In addition, conference registration for each attendee includes online library access for two colleagues. Nurses who were unable to attend the conference can purchase access to the full conference in the online library, or they can purchase individual sessions at the end of June. For information about accessing conference content, visit www.prolibraries.com/aaacn.

2013 Conference: The AAACN 38th Annual Conference will be held April 23-25, 2013, at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

For more information: www.aaacn.org, 800-262-6877, or aaacn@ajj.com.

[From the August/September 2012 issue of AnswerStat magazine]

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By Jan Jachimowicz

Children’s Health Network hosted the Eighth Annual National Telehealth Conference September 22 and 23 at the Hilton Hotel MSP Airport in Bloomington, MN. Over 100 people participated in the two-day medical conference focused emergent, urgent, and telephone care. The two-day format offered up to 16.2 contact hours of continuing education credits for nurses.

Among the highlights was the Friday “Lunch with a Speaker” that enabled all attendees to converse in a small group setting with a selected conference presenter. Among the featured nationally known presenters were Barton D. Schmitt, MD, the “father of pediatric telephone guidelines,” and David Thompson, MD, adult guidelines author.

[From the December 2011/January 2012 issue of AnswerStat magazine]

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With a focus on healthcare reform and how it will affect ambulatory care nursing, the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) 36^th Annual Conference drew more than 600 ambulatory care and telehealth nurses to San Antonio, Texas, in April.

General Sessions: The conference featured two general sessions on healthcare reform, as well as a keynote address and other concurrent sessions. In “Healthcare Reform Part I,” presenters Sheila Haas, PhD, RN, FAAN; Beth Ann Swan, PhD, CRNP, FAAN; and Barbara Trehearne, PhD, RN, provided a framework for changes and new models of ambulatory care nursing. In “Healthcare Reform Part II,” Dr. Haas, Dr. Swan, and Marilyn P. Chow, RN, DNSc, FAAN, explored healthcare reform’s impact on ambulatory care nurse roles and responsibilities.

“We are on the threshold of major changes in healthcare, and AAACN is prepared to step up and provide members with the leadership and resources needed to face these challenges. The conference was a perfect platform for members to gain the knowledge needed to prepare for the coming healthcare transformation,” said AAACN’s new president, Linda Brixey, RN.

The conference, which is designed specifically to help ambulatory care and telehealth nurses advance their practice and improve patient care skills, featured education sessions presented by nursing and healthcare experts. The most popular sessions covered such topics as ambulatory quality metrics, comparing conventional wisdom with evidence, the medical home model, leadership, and teamwork.

In addition to education sessions, participants also attended pre- and post-conference workshops on informatics, ambulatory care nursing certification review, and telehealth nursing practice. Additionally, attendees networked with colleagues, met with vendors in the exhibit hall, and viewed more than 50 poster presentations. AAACN also held a silent auction that raised more than $4,000 for the organization’s scholarship and research grant program.

Conference Highlights: Brixey, program manager for Clinical Education at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Houston, Texas, was inducted as AAACN’s new president at the conference. Outgoing President Traci Haynes, MSN, RN, BA, CEN, was awarded a lifetime AAACN membership in appreciation of her years of service.

The conference closed with the third annual town hall, a conference favorite. With the theme of “Healthcare Reform: If Not Us, Who?” the town hall gave attendees a final opportunity to share their opinions on the future of ambulatory care nursing. Attendees asked questions of a healthcare reform speaker panel and shared how their facilities have made changes to comply with the new law.

AAACN also debuted a sixth edition of its Telehealth Nursing Practice Resource Directory. This “yellow pages” of telehealth nursing provides resources for standards, articles, conferences, and call center services. As a member benefit, AAACN members may download a free PDF of the directory. The regular price for the printed version is $24, and it may be purchased online at the AAACN store.

Awards and Scholarships: The following awards were presented on Wednesday, April 6, during opening ceremonies:

President’s Above and Beyond Award, AAACN’s highest award, given to an individual who goes “above and beyond” the expectations of a volunteer role, went to Pamela Del Monte, MS, RN-BC, Hillsborough, NC; Associate Chief Nurse/Ambulatory Care Service, Department of Veterans Affairs

Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Anthony J. Jannetti, Inc. Nursing Economic$ Foundation, aregiven to AAACN members who personify administrative and clinical excellence in ambulatory care

• Kitty Ribar, BSN, RN, Painesville Twp, OH; nurse manager, Breast Services, Cleveland Clinic received the Administrative Excellence Award.
• Susan S. Lau, RN, RNC-TNP, WCC, San Francisco, CA; RN, St. Mary’s Medical Center received the Clinical Excellence Award.

2010 ViewPoint Writer’s Award is given for the outstanding article published in AAACN’s official newsletter, ViewPoint. This year Karen Seifert, MSN, RN, CDE, Scottsdale, AZ, was recognized for her article, “We’re Not Falling for That!  Preventing Falls in the Ambulatory Care Setting,” published in the March/April 2010 issue.

Education Scholarships awards two scholarships to help cover costs of tuition, books, and academic supplies; they went to:

• Wanda Mayo, RN, Arlington, TX (1,000 scholarship)
• Linda Mendez, RN, Austin, TX ($1,000 scholarship)

Conference Scholarshipsawards three scholarships presented to provide financial assistance to attend the AAACN conference; they went to:

• Carol Ann Attwood, MLS, AHIP, MPH, RN, C, Scottsdale, AZ
• Sally Telfer, BS, RN-BC, Whitmore Lake, MI
• Debra Wise, BSN, RNC, Morton, IL

Research Grantwent toCatherine Rhodes, MSN, CNP, WHNP-BC, RNC-OB, Cleveland, OH, who received a research grant for her project, “Changing the Physical Environment in the Urogynecology Procedure Room.”

Online Library: Full conference attendees have indefinite online access to conference recordings and handouts in the AAACN online library. In addition, conference registration for each attendee includes online library access for two colleagues. Nurses who were unable to attend the conference can purchase access to the full conference in the online library, or they can purchase individual sessions. For more information about accessing conference content, visit www.prolibraries.com/aaacn.

AAACN’s 37^th Annual Conference will be held May 2-5, 2012, at the Hilton in the Walt Disney World^® Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL. Oral and poster abstracts are being accepted now.

For more information call 800-262-6877 or email: aaacn@ajj.com.

[From the June/July 2011 issue of AnswerStat magazine]