Progressive Care. The Continuum of High Acuity and Critical Care.

Is your clinical unit called stepdown, intermediate, telemetry, transitional, subacute, direct observation or even the emergency department? Maybe it's a med-surg unit that receives patients directly from ICU. As progressive care areas, these settings have something in common: patients are moderately stable with high risk of becoming unstable. Their unique care challenges require keen assessment, critical thinking and confi dent decisions.

Contemporary Forums and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses invite you to the second annual
AACN Progressive Care Pathways conference, a learning experience designed especially for you. Expanding AACN's resources for progressive care —AACN Core Curriculum for Progressive Care, AACN
Essentials of Progressive Care Nursing and PCCN certification—this conference spotlights our commitment to your continuing professional development.

The program responds to progressive care nurses' requests and includes:

• Evidence-based conference content that addresses a wide range of progressive care patient needs.
• Direct clinical application of the evidence.
• Faculty experts who understand first-hand the unique challenges of caring for a "not quite ICU" patient population.
• A Networking Lunch on Monday, October 15, offering you the chance to meet and exchange ideas with progressive care colleagues from across the country who work in a wide variety of settings.
• Hemodynamic Monitoring, a half-day Preconference addressing non-invasive and invasive techniques
• and using critical thinking skills to recognize and intervene upon signs and symptoms of instability.
• Progressive Care Pharmacology, a half-day Preconference focusing on the care of patients who require complex pharmacotherapy and the safe administration of high-risk medications to ensure optimal patient outcomes.

This October, join your colleagues to learn, share, network and unwind. See you in Las Vegas!

Program Planning
Marian S. Altman, MS, RN, ANP, CCRN

Donna M. Daron, MSN, RN

Rose Marie Faber, MSN/ED, RN, CCRN
AACN Clinical Practice Specialist

Ramon Lavandero, MA, MSN, RN, FAAN
AACN Director, Communications and Strategic Alliances

Julie S. Miller, BSN, RN, CCRN

Laura Rednour
AACN, Conference Business Manager

Jeannine Strunk, BSN, RN
Contemporary Forums, Senior Program Manager

Conference Objectives

At the conclusion of this conference, the participant will be able to:

• Refine clinical judgment and critical thinking skills through case analysis of patient care and healthcare delivery issues with progressive care experts.
• Explore and implement evidence-based guidelines and current research that impact progressive care units.
• Explore methods to assure healthcare systems are driven by patient and family needs where progressive care nurses make their best contributions.
• Develop a professional network with progressive care colleagues and associates.
• Examine progressive care current issues and trends that impact nursing practice and care delivery systems.

Who Should Attend?

Experienced nurses involved in the care of high acuity patients in a variety of progressive care settings.
If you are a …

• Staff Nurse
• Nurse Practitioner
• Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Nurse Manager
• Educator
• Case Manager

Practicing in any type of adult progressive care unit, including …

• Telemetry
• Intermediate Care
• Step Down

• Transitional Care
• Direct Observation
• Medical-Surgical

Then this conference is for you!

Marian S. Altman, MS, RN, ANP, CCRN Clinical Nurse Specialist Digestive Health Unit VCU Health System Richmond, Virginia	Barbara "Bobbi" Leeper, MN, RN, CNS M/S, CCRN, FAHA Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cardiovascular Services Baylor University Medical Center Dallas, Texas
Mary Kay Bader, MSN, RN, CCNS, FAHA Neuro/Critical Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Mission Hospital Mission Viejo, California	S. Jill Ley, MS, RN, CNS Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cardiac Surgery California Pacifi c Medical Center Clinical Professor, Department of Physiological Nursing University of California San Francisco San Francisco, California
Leanne M. Boehm, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC Research Nurse Specialist Vanderbilt University	Cathy Lubliner, MSN, RN, APN C, CCRN Advanced Practice Nurse Cardiothoracic ICU and Step Down Newark Beth Israel Medical Center Newark, New Jersey
Suzanne M. Burns, MSN, RRT, ACNP, CCRN, FAAN, FCCM, FAANP Professor Emeritus, University of Virginia Consultant: Critical and Acute Care Charlottesville, Virginia	Linda Griego Martinez, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CMC Provider, Hospital at Home/House Calls Cardiac Clinical Nurse Specialist Presbyterian Healthcare Services Albuquerque, New Mexico
Donna M. Daron, MSN, RN Unit Based Educator Cardiothoracic Progressive Care Unit Mayo Clinic Phoenix, Arizona	Elizabeth A. Mattox, MSN, MS, RN, ARNP Veterans Health Administration Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle, Washington
Susan M. Dirkes, MSA, BSN, CCRN Staff Nurse, Surgical ICU University of Michigan Health System Ann Arbor, Michigan President, Nursing Resource Consultants LLC Newport, Michigan	Julie S. Miller, BSN, RN, CCRN President/Founder, Paws to Learn Whitehouse, Texas Staff Development Educator, Critical Care Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics Tyler, Texas
Kimberly S. Hodge, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, CCRN-CMC Clinical Nurse Specialist Franciscan Alliance Pioneer Accountable Care Organization Indianapolis, Indiana	Mary A. Stahl, MSN, RN, CCNS-CMC, ACNS-BC, CCRN Immediate Past President, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Clinical Nurse Specialist Mid America Heart Institute Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City Kansas City, Missouri
Christine A. Kessler, MN, CNS, ANP, BC-ADM Nurse Practitioner Department of Endocrinology Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Fort Belvoir, Virginia Diabetes Institute Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Founder, Critical Care Consultants Bethesda, Maryland	Leslie Swadener-Culpepper, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCNS Clinical Nurse Specialist, Critical Care The Medical Center of Central Georgia Macon, Georgia
Stephen D. Krau, PhD, RN, CNE Associate Professor Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Staff Nurse, Coronary Care Unit Vanderbilt University Medical Center Nashville, Tennessee	Shelley K. Welch, MSN, RN, CCRN-CSC Staff Development Educator-Cardiology Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics Tyler, Texas

A Certificate of Attendance will be available online after you complete the course requirements, enabling you to register your credit with the appropriate licensing boards or associations. To apply for credit not listed below, use the procedure established by the specific organization.

Nurses and Nurse Practitioners
Preconference A: 3.75 ANCC/4.5 CA BRN contact hours
Preconference B: 3.75 ANCC/4.5 CA BRN contact hours
Main Conference: 17.75 ANCC/21.3 CA BRN contact hours

Contemporary Forums is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American
Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Contemporary Forums is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #04516.
(CA BRN contact hour = 50 minutes)

Pharmacology Credit for Prescriptive Authority
Preconference A: 0.5 hours
Preconference B: 3.75 hours
Main Conference: 2.5 hours available
RX indicates pharmacology content. Because states' requirements vary, contact your Board of Nursing for more information.

Case Managers
Application has been made for continuing education credit from the Commission for Case Manager Certification.

To enhance your educational experience, we are inviting representatives from professionally relevant companies, organizations and hospitals to exhibit equipment, supplies, services and career opportunities. The schedule provides participants time for one-on-one discussion with exhibitors.

For exhibit space availability or additional information:
Call: (925) 361-4807
Email: exhibits@cforums.com
Visit: http://www.contemporaryforums.com/exhibitors.html

Viva Las Vegas!

It's impossible to resist the excitement of the neon lights, the shrieks of delight from jackpot winners, and the glitz and glamour of the hotels on the strip. A Disneyland for adults? You bet … and Las Vegas is so much more!

World-class dining, internationally-known boutiques, top-notch entertainment, savvy nightclubs and European-style spas are calling you to this glittering city, known as "Vegas!" Join your colleagues for "AACN Progressive Care Pathways" and enjoy all of the fun in the city that never sleeps. For more information, call the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority at (702) 892-7575 or go online to www.visitlasvegas.com.

Hotel Accommodations

The conference will be held at the Paris Las Vegas, 3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Las Vegas, NV 89109. A limited block of rooms is being held for you and your guests at special group rates which will be in effect, based on room availability, from October 12 to October 18 for those wishing to extend their stay to enjoy area activities or qualify for discount airfares.

Rates: $139 single/double
Rates are per room and subject to prevailing state and local taxes.

To obtain the special group rates, make your reservation early and before the "hotel room block release date" which is September 21. Rooms may sell out before this date so be sure to make your reservation now. After the release date, rooms and group rates may no longer be available so call the hotel regarding availability.

Reserve your hotel room online here.

For room reservations, call (877) 603-4389 and inform them that you are attending the Contemporary Forums' conference AACN Progressive Care Pathways. Request a confirmation number and written confirmation of your reservation. Reservations must include a fi rst night's deposit.

Contact the hotel regarding cancellation policy. For arrivals after 3 p.m., call the hotel on the day of travel
to reconfirm reservations.

For additional hotel information, please call the Paris Las Vegas at (800) 722-5597.

Travel Discounts

Contemporary Forums has a special discount agreement with United Airlines unavailable to the general public. To obtain these special conference fares call the Special Meeting Desk at (800) 521-4041, Account Code 510CW. Ticketing and payment can be done directly by you or through your travel agent. To ensure the best flights and times, since seats are limited, make your reservations early. Fares are guaranteed at the time of the ticket purchase.

Hertz is the official car rental agency for the conference. Special rates will be in effect throughout the conference as well as one week before and after. For special rates, call HERTZ at (800) 654-2240 and refer to Contemporary Forums plus the conference discount code CV #03000259.

Registration Information

Registrations must include full tuition payment to be accepted. Registrations faxed without payment will not be processed. Conference communications are sent via email. When registering please provide attendee's best email address as some emails are filtered and blocked. Since conference registration and hotel rooms are limited, early registration is advised.

Out of consideration to registrants, children of any age and spouses may not attend the sessions.

Tuition (U.S. Funds)	Preconferences	Main Conference
		AACN Member	AACN Non-Member
Early Registration Fee* (On/before September 4	$135	$465	$515
Regular Registration Fee (After September 4)	$155	$495	$545

* Postmarked or phone/fax/online registration and fees received on/before September 4.
Your tuition includes refreshment breaks, Certificate of Attendance, and Online CE Library access to posted presentation handouts before and after the conference.

Group Discounts (Mail, fax or call in together. Online registration is not available.)
Tuition discounts are given to groups of 3 or more registering for the complete Main Conference. Discounts do not apply to the Preconferences. To qualify for the group discount, all registration information must be complete for all group members, payment included and forms sent together. If faxing, list all group members on cover sheet. Subtract the discount from the tuition fee. Groups may not be formed after individual registrations are received.
$25 per person discount for 3 or 4 in a group
$45 per person discount for 5 or more in a group

Method of Tuition Payment
Make payment by check (payable to Contemporary Forums and enclose with Registration Form), Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express or Purchase Order. A $30 fee is charged for any returned check. Personal checks are NOT accepted at the conference. Purchase Orders must be received with registration by the conference date and include the P.O. number, invoice address, tuition, approval signature, contact name, email address and phone number.

Register Online, or by Phone, Fax or Mail (Payment is required to register.)
Register only ONCE, online at www.ContemporaryForums.com, by mail, fax (800) 329-9923 or call (800) 377-7707, Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Pacifi c Time). Before calling, complete all registration information.

Tax Deductibility
Expenses of training, tuition, travel, lodging and meals to maintain or improve professional skills may be TAX
DEDUCTIBLE. Consult your tax advisor.

Partial Attendance (Online registration is not available.)
To register, call Contemporary Forums for tuition and CE credit for individual days. Group discounts do not apply. Registrations may not be shared.

Cancellations
Cancellations may be made by phone or in writing. Cancellations received on/before September 4 receive a full tuition refund. Cancellations received after September 4 are assessed a $20 processing fee. No refunds for cancellations received after the conference begins or for "no shows." If this meeting is cancelled for any reason, including labor strikes or acts of God, liability is limited to a full refund of registration fees.

Program Changes
Contemporary Forums reserves the right to make necessary changes in speakers, topics or schedule. The
most current program can be found on our website.

Questions?
Contact Contemporary Forums at (800) 377-7707, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) or email info@cforums.com.

If you require special arrangements at this conference, call (800) 377-7707, at least 30 days prior to the conference.

"Informational AND inspirational! Whether you work in the ED, Clinical Decision Unit, Telemetry or ICU, this is a great conference to attend."

- David Morgan, RN, BSN, CCRN • Honolulu, HI

 

"I believe that this conference shows the great need for Progressive Care Unit nurses. What an excellent conference, I look forward to sending more staff next year."

- Brant Sloan, BSN • Knoxville, TN

 

"It was an exciting, educational conference. It was great connecting with others working in similar Progressive Care environments."

- Barbara Winship, RN, CMSRN • Portland, ME

 

"Every time I attend one of these conferences I learn something new to bring home to the workplace and share with my peers."

- Desiree Dunn, RN, PCCN • Ambridge, PA