Earlier this month, nurses and nurse practitioners spent some sunny days in Orlando at the Coronado Springs Resort of Walt Disney World. We learned, networked, and enjoyed good food and fun! I must give props to the conference chairpersons, planning committee members, and meeting planners for such well-done back-to-back conferences. And I was lucky enough to attend both!

The keynote sessions were extraordinary. At Nursing2016 Symposium, Charles Kunkle, RN, MSN, CEN, BC-NA had the audience involved and laughing, while really making us think during his presentation, No Time to Care: Instilling Compassion Back Into Your Care in 60 Seconds or Less. One key reminder for me was that talking to a person as a human being, not a diagnosis, can make all the difference. Mr. Kunkle quickly did an ER admission scenario two ways – first referring to the patient as “the abdominal pain” through the admission process, then again referring to the patient by name. His lively and dynamic presentation style really added to the impact of his message. Also, Mr. Kunkle reminded us that “only 15% of the message that we deliver comes from spoken word.” So, remember, it’s not what you say, but how you say it. Pay attention to your nonverbal and paraverbal (tone, volume, and cadence) communication.

At the National Conference for Nurse Practitioners, the thrill of being in the presence of Loretta Ford, RN, PNP, EdD, FAAN, FAANP was indescribable. Using a Q & A format, conference chairperson, Margaret A. Fitzgerald DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC had a candid conversation with Dr. Ford about her work founding the nurse practitioner profession and her thoughts on the future of our profession. I especially enjoyed her insights for the future, including how “language matters.” She emphasized that the use of the word ‘medical’ is synonymous with ‘physician’ and that we should instead focus on using the word ‘health’ as much as we can. For example, she stated “Let’s reorient from saying ‘primary medical care’ to ‘primary health care.’”

Here’s a look at some other takeaways from the week:

• “One in ten Americans take SSRIs.”
  Sophia Chu Rodgers, FNP, ACNP, FAANP, FCCM
  ABG Interpretation, Fluid, and Electrolytes

• “Regarding pulse oximetry…remember to treat the patient, not the number.&rdquo
  AnneMarie Palatnik, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, AVP
  Skill Assessment: Pulmonary

• “CCF (chest compression fraction) is the total amount of time compressions are delivered relative to the total amount of time of cardiac arrest. The goal is 60%, however, 80% is optimal and achievable when an advanced airway is present.”
  Denise Drummond Hayes, MSN, RN, CRNP
  The Case of the Vanishing Vasopressin: BLS & ACLS Guidelines Update

• “Joint swelling is the hallmark sign of rheumatoid arthritis that is required for diagnosis.”
  Richard S. Pope, MPAS, PA-C
  RA in 2016: It’s Not What It Used to Be! Or Is It?

• “You can use any ventilator setting for any patient as long as you understand how it works.”
  Eric Magaña, M.D.
  Nuts and Bolts of Mechanical Ventilation

• “Mothers taking SSRIs in pregnancy put infants at risk for persistent pulmonary hypertension.”
  Dr. Lana Melendres-Groves
  Acute Care: Pulmonary Hypertension

• “ST-elevation rules! If you see ST-elevation in a patient complaining of chest pain, assume acute ischemia.”
  Dr. Andrea Efre
  Acute Care: Chest Pain: Refine Your Assessment Skills and Define Your Differential Diagnosis

• “When someone wants ‘everything done,’ our next question should be ‘what does that mean to you?’”
  Debbie A. Gunter, FNP-BC, ACHPN
  Talking about Dying Won’t Kill You! How to Talk with Patients about Terminal Illness

Here’s a look at my time at these two Lippincott conferences. Hope to see you next fall at NCNP2016 Fall and Nursing Management Congress!