nursing conferences

[froggy8, BSN, RN]

ALLNURSES!

Been hearing all these stories of nurses going to cool places for conferences and was wondering how the process goes... I know I will need to apply to my hospital somehow BUT where do people get information of upcoming nursing conferences??? Is there some website where there are different companies that do this for nurses??? I hear of NTI, magnet... conferences...

If there is a website, can anyone link it? I googled some but they DO NOT seem legit.

Also, where have you been and how was it??

Thanks!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I've been to NTI- first rate! I'm presenting at Nursing Management Congress 2015 this year (not a manager, long story) and Magnet, Pathway to Excellence (Magnet Lite if you will) and a really well-respected Pediatric Nursing conference in Chicago in July.

Your unit or hospital educator should have some info on pertinent ones to your practice area. In your googling, get to know some related nursing organizations, as they are often sources of reliable conference content.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

The most well-known/attended conferences are sponsored by national specialty organizations. If you're a member, you automatically get all the info as well as a discount on registration fees. AONE (nurse executives) conference is going on right now & is probably the most-well known conf for nurse leaders. ENA (emergency nurses) conf seems to be more focused on keeping costs down, so it is in lesser-known venues... last year, for example it was in Indianapolis. AACN (critical care) has NTI - the most amazing, mega-teaching venue of all time!!! But it is enormous and there are a limited number of places that can accommodate that many attendees. I usually try to attend the ANPD (educators) conference as well as either national or my state conf for ANA.

There are also some 'functional' conferences for people who are engaged in specific types of projects or jobs... such as Magnet, NDNQI (quality), Patient Experience (new name for pt satisfaction). There are also multi-disciplinary conferences that are very valuable for people involved in things like Simulation Training, eLearning development, etc. These are very valuable - producing huge benefits in terms of networking and 'insider knowledge' for participants.

So - I would advise you to do a little bit of investigation first. What specialty area are you interested in? Then, just take a look at those sites to see what type of developmental opportunities they have. Also, check with your local chamber of commerce - they usually have information on any large meetings that are being held in your area.

A bit of a warning..... chances are, even the most generous employer is not going to pay for a "full ride" conference because these can cost $2k and up (registration + travel + hotel + meals). You'll have to pay for some of it yourself. But this type of expense is somewhat (Fed) tax deductible if the total exceeds the 6% AGI threshold. Group registration is an option - it usually decreases the registration cost & you can room with someone to share the hotel expense.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Hey now HouTx! Indianapolis is a major convention city. We host GenCon (40,000+) and FDIC (35,000 hot firefighters!)

[NutmeggeRN, BSN]

Hey now HouTx! Indianapolis is a major convention city. We host GenCon (40,000+) and FDIC (35,000 hot firefighters!)

Ooh I wanna go there!!! Love me a man in uniform!!

[froggy8, BSN, RN]

Thank you for the wonderful advice, will be doing more searching now! In the meantime, keep the experience stories coming!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

Ooh I wanna go there!!! Love me a man in uniform!!

Fire Department Instructors Convention brings big economic benefits to Indy | Fox 59

Hot firefighters, as far as the eye can see........ah, springtime in Indianapolis!

[sourapril]

Join professional organizations, contact your nurse educator, search online.