The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Board Certification Nursing Conference is taking place March 19–21, 2014 in the beautiful and culturally diverse city of Rockville, MD. This year's conference in particular is special because they will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the ANCC's nursing certification program, and the schedule kicks off on Certified Nurses Day.
Expand Your Horizons
Conferences like these are important for nurses because not only can you earn continuing education credits (a maximum of 14.5 contact hours for this one, specifically), but you are able to make professional contacts, expand your knowledge base, and learn about advancements in patient care and changes in the industry.
This year's educational offerings include a keynote talk about teamwork in healthcare and its influence on quality; the closing session will explore the history of nurse credentialing. A plethora of presentations on wide-ranging subjects such as cost-effective drug therapy, pharmacology, opioid dependency, women's heart health, and geriatric care will take place; there will even be two book signings. Not every talk will be 100% applicable to your area of nursing, but you can still take away lessons that you couldn't learn anywhere else.
Sharing and Caring
Professional nursing conferences can be wonderful places to make new friends and learn from others in your profession. You might receive advice on how to overcome obstacles you may encounter when furthering your education or learn from your peers about initiatives in their institutions that might work well in yours. Colleagues are often eager to share their experiences of what worked and didn't work for them. You might even end up sharing some lessons you have learned during your career with others. And, if you're interested in meeting people in a less formal environment, there will be a 1970s dance party just for fun!
Whatever your reason for attending, you will definitely be able to take back new knowledge to benefit yourself, your employer or both. If you aren't able to attend this year, be sure to mark your calendar for future years, and look to the ANCC's website for information on discounted registration for ANA members and ANCC certified nurses. You will not only be able to hone your skills at this nursing conference, but also learn about breaking news and upcoming national initiatives. Plus, earning continuing education credits on a trip to Baltimore is a much better alternative than earning a few credits at a time on a computer screen.
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons
[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]
