AANP:    105                                                  CONTACT:    Nancy McMurrey                                                                          Director of Communications                                                                          (512) 276-5906                                                    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Hosts 20^th Annual National Conference

                        AUSTIN (April 14) --The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) will host its 20^th Annual National Conference in Fort Lauderdale, FL, June 17 – 21.   For more information about the annual conference, go to www.aanp.org and click on 2005 national conference.  Not only has this year's conference format changed dramatically but unique events have been created to celebrate two milestones:  AANP's 20^th anniversary and the 40^th anniversary of the nurse practitioner role.  Join Dr. Loretta Ford, co-founder of the nurse practitioner role, for an informative and entertaining afternoon on Sunday, June 19 to Celebrate 20/40.  The special event brings together pioneers of the NP movement who will share stories about their experiences over the past 40 years and their views on what the nurse practitioner role will be 40 years from now.  While the conference has been shortened to four and a half days, the new format offers more clinical and expert faculty presentations, workshops and special programs than ever before.  In addition, an exhibit hall filled with a variety of pharmaceutical, medical supply and equipment companies, recruiters and publishing houses will showcase the latest in goods and services to support the nurse practitioner. 

                             The AANP was founded in 1985 and is the largest and only full-service national professional organization for nurse practitioners of all specialties.  With approximately 18,500 individual members and more than 100 group members, AANP represents the interests of approximately 90,000 nurse practitioners around the country.  AANP continually advocates for the active role of nurse practitioners as providers of high-quality, cost-effective healthcare.  For more information about AANP, visit www.aanp.org.

########