Thousands of Acute and Critical Care Nurses Gather in Houston for AACN's Annual Conference
ALISO VIEJO, Calif. – May 22, 2017 – The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) brings together thousands of nurses this week in Houston at its annual National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI, #NTI2017) with the theme “It Matters.”
AACN President Clareen Wiencek, RN, PhD, ACNP, ACHPN, is director of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner programs at the University of Virginia’s School of Nursing. She says the theme was inspired by a powerful message from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that has long inspired her: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. We are nurses, and it matters! We know it matters that we care courageously for the sickest and most vulnerable patients and do it in chaotic and ever-changing health systems. It matters that we are members or leaders of interdisciplinary teams who are always at the bedside watching, preventing errors and averting disasters.”
AACN expects attendance to reach 6,000 nurses and include those closest to the patient at the bedside and many at the forefront of research, academia, staff development and management.
The premier annual event for critical care nursing, NTI continues through May 25. The conference offers hundreds of sessions to improve clinical practice, patient outcomes and the hospital’s bottom line with a comprehensive program that incorporates the best evidence-based education.
Most of the 300-plus sessions will take place at the George R. Brown Convention Center, with the nearby Marriott Marquis Houston hotel also hosting official events.
NTI, the world’s largest conference for nurses who care for high-acuity and critically ill patients, includes the Critical Care Exposition, the largest and most comprehensive trade show expressly for acute and critical care nurses. There will be hundreds of exhibits spread over more than 300,000 square feet that encompass cutting-edge healthcare equipment, devices, supplies and career opportunities. The Critical Care Exposition is one of the 50 fastest-growing trade shows in America in both event attendance and exhibitors, as ranked by Trade Show Executive magazine.
Conference sessions represent the best clinical education reflecting today’s diverse critical care environments. Topics include:
- Eliminating healthcare-associated infections and medical errors
- Improving patient outcomes and financial savings with nurse-led innovations
- Understanding the benefits and risks of healthcare technology
- Integrating new research findings into evidence-based patient care
The Advanced Practice Institute, integrated into NTI, has more than 60 sessions with content including preconferences, clinical sessions, leadership and role development, pharmacology and mastery sessions, specifically developed for advanced practice nurses.
Participants can earn up to 37.5 hours of continuing education (CE) during NTI. CE hours — calculated on a 60-minute contact hour — are determined by the number of sessions a participant attends.
As an added value, attendees will receive online access to more than 200 recorded sessions from this year’s NTI as well as online access to certification review courses and past NTI conferences. These materials will extend the on-site learning offered during the conference and be available through Aug. 31.
Review the complete conference program with all educational sessions and special events offered in Houston at www.aacn.org/nti.
About the National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition: Established in 1974, AACN’s National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI) represents the world’s largest educational conference and trade show for nurses who care for acutely and critically ill patients and their families. Bedside nurses, nurse educators, nurse managers, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners attend NTI.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, California, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN represents the interests of more than half a million acute and critical care nurses and has more than 200 chapters throughout the United States. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution.
American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, 101 Columbia, Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4109; 949-362-2000; www.aacn.org; facebook.com/aacnface; twitter.com/aacnme