Professional development is an important part of every health care professional’s career. It can only help you to be aware of new technologies and new schools of thought that may soon impact your day-to-day job functions.
Conferences and leadership summits are a great way to pack a lot of information into a short amount of time. Outside of the educational value, they also allow you to network and trade ideas with fellow colleagues and thought leaders.
The following is a list of conferences that are sure to challenge and inspire you:
AACN Organizational Leadership Network Fall Meeting (Oct. 28-30, 2012): Held in Washington, D.C., the theme of this year’s meeting is “Taking Advantage of Technology in Nursing Higher Education.” Highlights include: learning how technology is influencing patient care and what educators must know about the changing landscape, exploring innovations and challenges in online teaching and learning, and identifying ways schools can be more effective, simulation in nursing education and much more. For more information, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/events/2012/10/26/oln.
ANA 7th annual Nursing Quality Conference (Feb. 6-8, 2013): Held in Atlanta, Georgia, the Nursing Quality Conference brings together nursing and health care professionals from around the world who have a passion for improving nursing quality. Almost 1,900 hospitals will be participating in the event, giving attendees the opportunity to learn about the latest research related to addressing organizational performance to improve patient outcomes. This year’s keynote speaker is country music icon and former registered nurse, Naomi Judd. For more information, visit nqc2013.cistems.net.
19th annual Wharton Health Care Business Conference (Feb. 14-15, 2013): Held in Philadelphia, the theme of this year’s event is “Reshaping Health Care: Emerging Trends Changing the Face of Our Industry.” Previous year’s speakers include the president and CEO of Biotechnology Industry Organization, the president and CEO of Geisinger Health System and the former CEO of Bausch and Lomb. For more information, visit www.whcbc.org.
TEDMED (April 16-19, 2013): Held in Washington, D.C., TEDMED is billed as a “community of people who are passionate about imagining the future of health and medicine.” Void of an agenda or policy prescriptions, it’s a “safe place” where people with different ideas come together to talk and learn. Previous speakers have included the director of the National Institutes of Health, the president and CEO of the American Red Cross, the chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, singer-songwriters and the vice president of HBO Documentary Films. For more information, visit www.tedmed.com.
Are there any you’re looking forward to attending? Let us know in the comments section!
This post is written by Erica Moss, who is the community manager for the online masters in nursing program at Georgetown University, offering one of the nation’s leading FNP programs online.
Photo credit: hahatango on Flickr