At the end of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses Society 39th Annual Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, participants were asked to report what they had learned. We all attended 31/2 days of educational offerings, starting for some at 7:30 AM and extending to 8:00 PM. We worked hard, our routines were changed, we were away from our families and loved ones, we sat for long periods of time, we stretched our comfort zones by attending sessions in areas where we needed more knowledge, and we came away understanding a new concept or new principles to use when providing patient care. We heard keynote speaker Dr Barbara Braden take us on a journey recounting the development and implementation of the Braden Scale, shedding light on a tool that many of us use in our care settings.
We saw old friends, we made new friends, and we reviewed posters by our colleagues that provided us with new ways to view old problems. Time was spent talking about and examining new products, new approaches, and new educational tools as we navigated the huge exhibit hall. Some of us even got a neck and back massage at the relaxation station!!
We attended the membership meeting where we discussed topics including the current standing of the Society and the value of certification. The WOCN leadership was in attendance to hear discussion about members' needs and concerns. We visited the WOCN Bookstore, where we purchased the WOCN Guidelines, Bladder Diary: A Best Practice Document for Clinicians, learned about the WOCN Global Learning Center, and reviewed the many other clinical and educational products.
As the meeting came to a close, we were glad to have attended, but not sorry to go home. We were taking home new ideas; we had been refreshed and invigorated. We had new energy to get that project done, to build that program, to solve that problem. So what was it that the very first person at the microphone said when all the attendees were asked what they learned at the 39th WOCN Society Annual Conference? "I learned that I have 4200 friends and colleagues who I can turn to when I need help." That person summed up the value of the WOCN Society Annual Conference in one touching and significant answer; she reconnected with people who have the same mission and passion. She sees the WOCN Society as her support system, 4200 members who are available and connected. She could not have summed up the value of attending the WOCN national conference any better. Our objective was met. Thank you all for attending. For those who could not attend this year, we missed you and hope to see you in the future. You are part of our support system!!
Janice C. Colwell, MSN, RN, CWOCN