This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Nurses can learn, collaborate and network at ANNA national meeting
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Nephrology nurses will convene April 15-18 at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort in Las Vegas for the American Nephrology Nurses Association National Symposium. Nephrology nurse leaders, managers and educators will attend a wide variety of sessions, network with their colleagues and visit with industry representatives in an interactive exhibit hall.
They will can also earn up to 16.5 contact hours and 8.5 pharmacology credits. Those who register for the full symposium will receive a bonus of 5 contact hours for free, for a total of 21.5 contact hours. Additional contact hours and pharmacology credits are available for optional workshops.
Program highlights
The symposium includes three preconference workshops on the morning of April 15. Following the preconferences, the symposium officially begins with the keynote address entitled “Nurse and anthropologist: Examining culture in nephrology nursing units,” will be given by anthropologist Gerald VanBolt, who will explore workplace culture and its impact on patient care.
Among the hot topics at the 2018 symposium are two sessions on infection prevention to be presented on April 17. Those sessions will examine safety issues for patients and staff infection control education and competency. Another session of interest to nephrology nurses will be an examination of medical marijuana use in the United States. That session will be presented on April 18 and will explore regulatory issues, therapeutic effects, drug interactions and consumer safety.
Other sessions of interest include:
- New end-stage renal disease policies and updates on nephrology care management. Medicare-related legislation, fee billing and the role of the advance practice registered nurse.
- They want me to do what? Mandated changes and how they affect staff and patients. State and federal initiatives that will affect patient staffing ratios.
- Applying patient engagement strategies to achieve patient-centered care. An analysis of the difference between patient-centered care and patient and family engagement in care.
- For the nurse, by the nurse: Innovative dialysis staffing model. Challenges of dialysis unit staffing and the benefits of interprofessional collaboration.
On April 16, there will be a specialty practice networking session covering such areas as health policy, advanced practice, administration and more.