Surrounded by the neon lights and celebrity headliners of the infamous Vegas Strip, wound care practitioners came together within the Roman columns and statues of Caesars Palace for the 27th Annual Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care. Some 900 attendees filled the conference rooms and exhibit hall recently at the Las Vegas, Nevada location.
Several preconference workshops were held prior to the official opening of the symposium. Attendees had the opportunity to practice hands-on total contact casting and learn more about offloading, receive training on debridement techniques, and participate in a wound care review course, just to name a few of the offerings.
After welcoming remarks from Sharon Baranoski, MSN, RN, CWCN, APN, DAPWCA, FAAN, symposium director, the conference kicked off with a keynote address on "Legally Defensible Wound Care" by Caroline E. Fife, MD, CWS, and Kevin W. Yankowsky, JD. Engaging the audience and onstage panel members, the presenters demonstrated in a mock trial what can happen during litigation even when high-quality wound care is provided to the patient. Participants had the opportunity to cast their vote in various legal scenarios and to gain a better understanding of the real-world litigation risks that can result in courtroom disasters.
The grand opening of the exhibits and poster presentations gave conference-goers the chance to see and hear about the latest products and devices from leading vendors and view 137 posters.
During the following days, attendees participated in general sessions and numerous breakout sessions, which were designed for beginners, intermediate, or advanced practitioners. Attendees also had ample opportunity to visit the exhibits and posters.
Among the general sessions was the topic, "Chronic Venous Hypertension Ulcers-Above and Beyond Compression," by Paul J. Gagne, MD, FACS, and Sandra K. Wainwright, MD. The presenters examined how advancing venous therapy above the superficial and saphenous veins takes clinicians beyond the therapies that currently constitute the standard of care.
Another general session focused on "Everything Old Is New Again-A Look Back into the Future: 25-Year Historical Review of Wound Care." This presentation was in conjunction with the 25th anniversary of the publication of Advances in Skin & Wound Care journal, which supported the session. Richard Salcido, MD, editor-in-chief, and Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CWON, ETN, MAPWCA, FAAN, clinical editor of the journal, discussed how both the journal and the field of wound care have changed and advanced in the past quarter of a century.
Other activities during the symposium included a poster reception that allowed networking with the poster authors and announced the 4 winners of this year's poster contest (see 2012 Award Winners). An evening satellite symposium, sponsored by KCI, was held on the topic of "Advances in Managing Wounds with Infection: The Impact of Instillation Therapy." In addition, the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine (ACHM) held its 2012 Annual Meeting in conjunction with the symposium. The ACHM added a dedicated hyperbaric program and hosted its annual membership meeting.
2012 Award Winners
* The winner of the 2012 Sharon Baranoski Founder's Award was Kelly Bennett, RN. Ms Bennett is a nurse at Liberty HomeCare & Hospice in Wilmington, North Carolina. Funding for this award was supported by an education grant from Healthpoint Biotherapeutics.
* Winners of the 2012 Roberta S. Abruzzese Publishing Award were Sandra Bergquist-Beringer, PhD, RN, CWCN, and Byron J. Gajewski, PhD, for their article, "Outcome and Assessment Information Set Data That Predict Pressure Ulcer Development in Older Adult Home Health Patients." Dr Bergquist-Beringer is an associate professor at the School of Nursing, and Dr Gajewski is an associate professor at the Department of Biostatistics and the School of Nursing, both at the University of Kansas, Kansas City. This award was sponsored by an educational grant from Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
* Chulhyun Ahn, MD, was the 2012 recipient of the Outstanding Peer Reviewer Award. Dr Ahn is a resident physician in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. This award was sponsored by an educational grant from Advances in Skin & Wound Care.
* The Eric P. Kindwall Award of Excellence in Clinical Hyperbaric Medicine was presented posthumously to Robert A. Warriner III, MD, FACA, FCCP, FCCWS, ABPM/UHM. This award was supported by the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine.
* The Visionary Award was also presented posthumously to Ken Locklear, CHWS. This award was supported by the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine.
A total of 137 posters were presented this year. Awards were given for the top posters in each of 4 categories: original investigation, case study/series, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and education/system/other. The awards were supported by an educational grant from Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. The 2012 winners are the following:
* Original Investigation: Poster 111:
"Using a Multi-faceted Active Change Process and Infection Prevention to Reduce Post Op C-Section Infections," by Jeanette Harris, MS, MSM, BC, MT/CLS(ASCP), CIC, MHS, and Evelyn Hickson, MSN, RN, CNS, WCC
* Case Study/Series: Poster 133
"Effects of a High-Intensity, Non-thermal Array of Near-Infrared Light Frequencies on Wound Healing Among Patients with Spinal Cord Injuries," by Joseph E. Berman, MHS, PT; Paula Benes, MD; Edwin P. Monroy, PT, DPT, CLT; Vicki L. Anderson, MD; and Janis T. Eells, PhD
* Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Poster 19
"Chronic Sternal Wound Management with Hyperbaric Oxygen, Antibiotics, and Vacuum-Assisted Closure," by Laura Sudarsky, MD, FACS; Lise Crapella, RN, NP, WOCN; Donovan Rosas, MD; Michele Gilbert, MSN, NP-C, CCRN, CHFN; and Glenn J. Butler, CHT
* Education/System/Other: Poster 115
"Programs in Healthcare Organizations in Canada and Australia," by Theresa Hurd, PhD, MSN, MSCN-NP; Karyn Popvich, MHS, CHE; and Terri Antonio, MSHA
General sessions on the final day of the conference featured a stellar lineup of speakers and topics. Mary Mihaylo, PharmD, BS, CGP, BCPS, addressed the important subject of "Effective and Efficient Management of Wound Pain." She identified the types of pain associated with wounds and discussed pain management interventions. Next, Mikel Gray, PhD, FNP, PNP, CUNP, FAANP, FAAN, presented "Moisture-Associated Skin Damage: Pathogenesis, Assessment, and Management." Dr Gray defined moisture-associated skin damage and discussed its most common clinical manifestations, as well as assessment, prevention, and treatment options. The closing keynote address was given by Dr Ayello, who spoke on "CMS-What You MUST Know Before You Go!" This presentation highlighted essential information that clinicians and administrators need to know regarding pressure ulcers and skin conditions.
Next year, the Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care is scheduled for October 24-27, 2013, at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Orlando, Florida. Mark your calendars now, and watch for more details in the coming months. See you in Orlando!