Wednesday, April 11, 2012 - Pre-Conference Sessions

Note: Register early - Space is limited and separate registration fees for each session apply.

For the TOPIC course and the Optimal Trauma Center Organization course, registration includes course materials, continental breakfast, lunch, and afternoon break. For the half-day pre-conferences (in the afternoon), registration includes course materials and an afternoon break.

Kathleen D. Martin, MSN, RN, CCRN
Trauma Program Nurse Director, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, US Army Military Treatment Facility, Landstuhl, Germany

Heidi Hotz, RN
Trauma Program Manager, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA

Ronald I. Gross, MD, FACS
Chief, Division of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, MA

TOPIC is a one-day course that was developed by a seasoned group of trauma leaders, to assist participants with the Performance Improvement (PI) process in trauma care. TOPIC focuses on skill development for trauma program staff who are involved in the ongoing evaluation of trauma care across the continuum. It offers concrete strategies for the monitoring of trauma care, loop closure, and patient outcomes. The course provides practical lessons for all levels of trauma centers, from entry level to those who have achieved a mature phase of program development. It consists of 12 modules in PI and outcomes assessment, and includes over 50 case study examples, sample documents, and templates. TOPIC is now co-taught by both nurse and physician faculty.

Jeffrey Young, MD, MHA, FACS
Trauma Director, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

Amy Koestner, RN, MSN
Trauma Program Manager, Borgess Medical Center, Kalamazoo, MI

Judy Mikhail, RN, MSN, MBA
Program Manager, Michigan Trauma Quality Improvement Program (MTQIP), University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, MI

The American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) and the Society of Trauma Nurses (STN) have partnered to develop the Optimal Trauma Center Organization & Management Course.

Both physicians and nurses teach this collaborative course. Its goal is to enhance trauma center performance and to improve patient care through implementation of the ACS COT Trauma Center Standards.

Whether yours is a mature verified center or a hospital preparing for designation, this course is designed to help participants develop strategies, processes, and operations to support trauma systems, based on their unique environments. It is designed to help you take your trauma center to the next level, beyond verification or designation.

The nuances of implementing or improving upon trauma center criteria within the structure of your specific facility will be reviewed in an interactive forum. The course will assist Trauma Medical Directors, Trauma Program Managers/Coordinators, Administrators, Trauma Registrars, State/Region personnel and other disciplines involved in trauma.

Danni Brown, RN, MS
Director of Neuroscience Research/Education, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ

Sally Jo Zuspan, RN, MSN
Director, Data Coordinating Center, Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN), University of Utah - Salt Lake City, UT

Greg Pereira, RN, BSN, MBA
Trauma Manager, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Melissa C. Evans, MD
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC

The care of the pediatric neuro patient requires complex and coordinated monitoring and interventions. In the best of circumstances, these efforts are based on evidence-based practice guidelines that work to minimize disability. This half-day course is designed for acute care trauma providers, to enhance their ability to promote optimal outcomes for the pediatric neuro-trauma patient. Its purpose is to review the evidence for current monitoring techniques, treatment parameters, interventions, and goals. The speakers will address pearls in the assessment of the neuro trauma pediatric patient, as well as current evidence for patient management, controversies in the treatment of concussive injuries, challenges in resuscitation, and cases of interest.

Topics

• Neuro Assessment: Pediatric Pearls
• Implementing Research & Evidence at the Bedside
• Concussion
• Resuscitation Challenges
• Case Presentations

Cindy Blank-Reid, RN, MSN, CEN
Trauma Clinical Nurse Specialist, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA

Joseph Haymore, RN, MS, CCRN, ACNP-BC
Chief Neurosurgery Nurse Practitioner, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD and Critical Care Nurse Practitioner, Washington Adventist Hospital, Takoma Park, MD

Patients with spine and spinal cord injuries (SCI) are among the most challenging found in acute care and rehabilitation, particularly when it comes to reducing complications while optimizing function al outcomes. This 4-hour program will provide the trauma nurse with the knowledge and skills needed to provide high-quality care to these patients. It includes a review of spinal anatomy, physiology, and epidemiology, as well as the 10-most common reasons for emergent presentation of SCI and vertebral column injury. The course also covers clinical characteristics, common diagnostic evaluations, emergent therapy/surgery needs, and how to avoid complications.

Agenda

• Overview of Spine Anatomy, Physiology, & Epidemiology
• Types of Spinal Cord Injury & Associated Complications
• Nursing Care Across the Continuum – From ICU to Rehab
• Latest Innovations in Spinal Cord Injury (Botox, ReWalk, Hypothermia, Electro-Stimulation, etc)

Moderators: Linda Reinhart, MSN, RN, CNS, CCRN and Deb Falkenberg, RN, MSN