More than 1600 attendees, faculty members, and exhibitors traveled to warm, sunny Las Vegas, NV, in October 2005 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the longest-running multidisciplinary conference for skin and wound care practitioners: The Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care: The Conference for Prevention and Healing.

Educational sessions covered a variety of topics, including changes in Tag F314, how to establish a wound care clinic, electrical modalities for wound care, use of topical antimicrobials, offloading the at-risk lower extremity, wounds and diabetes, pressure ulcers in children, perineal dermatitis,deep tissue injury, the controversies surrounding wound culturing, and support surface performance measures. The lectures addressed basic, intermediate, and advanced levels of wound care to accommodate both the novice and seasoned practitioner.

The grand opening of the exhibits and poster presentations followed the keynote address by Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, APRN,BC, CWOCN, FAPWCA, FAAN (see 20 Years of Wound Care: Where We Have Been, Where We Are Going). Row after row of booths displaying the latest skin and wound care products and technology filled the expansive exhibit hall, offering attendees the perfect opportunity to learn more about the modalities available to help heal their patients' wounds.

The more than 150 posters submitted by clinicians from around the world addressed a broad spectrum of issues in skin and wound management, including wound healing trajectories in venous ulcers; prevention, comorbidities, treatment, and outcomes in leg and foot ulcers; pressure mapping; perineal dermatitis related to incontinence; comparison of enzymatic debriding agents; chronic wound biochemistry; use of numerous topical wound products; the impact of interdisciplinary wound management on wound healing; the use of advanced treatment modalities in difficult wounds; decreasing the incidence of skin tears; combining wound care modalities; and treating xerosis.

Figure. Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, APRN,BC, CWOCN, FAPWCA, FAAN, delivered the keynote address at the conference.

Figure. The exhibit hall was bustling all 3 days that it was open.

Figure. An attendee tries her luck at the HEALTHPOINT booth.

Figure. The exhibit hall was open for 8 hours over the course of 3 days, giving attendees plenty of time for one-on-one discussions with industry representatives.

With the photos here, we look back at the 20th anniversary of the conference, founded by Sharon Baranoski, MSN, RN, CWOCN, APN, DAPWCA, FAAN.

Figure. With more than 150 posters on display, attendees had ample opportunity to learn about research being conducted by their peers.

AND THE WINNER IS[horizontal ellipsis]

Two awards were also announced at the Clinical Symposium.

Andrea McIntosh, BSN, RN, CWOCN, APN, from Silver Cross Hospital, Joliet, IL, was the winner of the Sharon Baranoski Founder's Award. This annual award, supported by an educational grant from 3M Health Care, honors the overall pursuit of excellence in the field of skin and wound care.

Figure. "Julius Caesar" escorts conference founder Sharon Baranoski, MSN, RN, CWOCN, APN, DAPWCA, FAAN, to the podium for the opening of the 20th Anniversary Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care. The conference was held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, NV.

Figure. Sharon Baranoski, MSN, RN, CWOCN, APN, DAPWCA, FAAN, congratulates Andrea McIntosh, BSN, RN, CWOCN, APN, on winning the Sharon Baranoski Founder's Award.

Diane K. Langemo, PhD, RN, FAAN, received the Outstanding Peer Reviewer Award, supported by an educational grant from Advances in Skin & Wound Care. Dr Langemo is a consultant/researcher from the University ofNorth Dakota College of Nursing, Grand Forks, ND. The award honors theAdvances in Skin & Wound Care peer reviewer who has made the greatest contribution to furthering the goal of peer review, which is to provide constructive critiques that assist authors in revising and improving their manuscripts so that they make meaningful contributions to the literature and the skin and wound care field.

SEE YOU NEXT YEAR

The 21st Annual Clinical Symposium on Advances in Skin & Wound Care will be held September 28-October 1, 2006, at Disney's Coronado Springs Resort, Lake Buena Vista, FL. Oral and poster abstract submissions are due by July 14, 2006, as are nominees for the Sharon Baranoski Founder's Award.

To be added to the mailing list, call 1-800-346-7844, ext. 7750, or e-mail [email protected].

Figure. Moderator Richard "Sal" Salcido, MD, asks a question of the panel members during the session, "Wound Care Dilemmas: An Interdisciplinary Chat."

Figure. Liza Ovington, PhD, CWS, and Sub has Gupta, MD, CM, PhD, FRCSC, FACS, shared their insights during the panel discussion, "Wound Care Dilemmas: An Interdisciplinary Chat."