Thank You for Attending the 2019 AANP National Conference
The 2019 AANP National Conference was one for the history books.
Thank you to the more than 4,000 nurse practitioners (NPs) who joined the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) for the 2019 AANP National Conference. It is because of you that this conference was an overwhelming success!
Conference Highlights
Tuesday saw the start of conference, with more than 20 different skill-enhancing workshops and the Welcome Reception at the Indianapolis Zoo! NPs enjoyed light bites and delicious drinks among savannahs, rainforests, oceans and other settings while getting to know their fellow attendees and AANP leadership.
The Student Meet and Greet on Wednesday morning kicked off a day of continuing education (CE) sessions. The Specialty Practice Group meetings allowed for in-person networking and collaboration, while introducing the communities to those interested in joining. The Opening Keynote from Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted at age 14 and held captive for nine months before finding freedom and hope, inspired attendees to continue moving forward and not let the past define your future. In the Annual Membership Meeting, Joyce Pulcini, PhD, PNP-BC, FAAN, FAANP, was presented the 2019 Towers Pinnacle Award for her work in policy, development and international support of the NP role, and Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN, was presented the 2019 Sharp Cutting Edge Award as a “champion of advanced practice nursing and as a staunch advocate for the NP role.”
From the Exhibit Hall grand opening to the Fellows Induction and Reception, Thursday was an eventful day at conference! Beyond concurrent sessions, workshops and rapid fire presentations, attendees also joined Interest Forums on a number of topics, including the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree, preceptorship and research. After the Exhibit Hall opened, attendees connected with exhibitors, met with AANP staff and partners and networked with recruiters at the Career Fair. AANP also wishes to congratulate the 63 new Fellows inducted into the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP)! AANP’s Vice President of Professional Practice & Partnerships Diane Padden was also honored to receive the Fellows Chair Award, and past AANP President Mona Counts was posthumously honored with the Loretta Ford Award by the Fellows, which was graciously accepted by Counts’ daughter.
Friday saw the annual Legislative Policy Update, which offered an overview of the political atmosphere in Washington D.C. and detailed a variety of activities in the states where AANP is working to modernize licensure laws. After a day of learning, recipients of the NP State Award for Excellence and the NP Advocate State Award for Excellence were honored at the Salute to the States Award Ceremony and Reception. Congratulations to those honorees on their outstanding accomplishments!
The last day for the Exhibit Hall was Saturday. With your support, Dress for Success® Indianapolis received a generous charitable donation and interview-appropriate clothing for local women in need. The Closing Keynote from Margaret Fitzgerald, DNP, FNP-BC, NP-C, FAANP, CSP, FAAN, DCC, FNAP, provided a frank and inspiring discussion to help attendees “understand what makes a powerful voice and learn how to raise your voice.”
Finally, Sunday was a calm wrap-up to conference events, with a number of workshops and CE sessions for those soaking up one last day in our beautiful host city of Indy!
In addition, we loved experiencing all the fun of Indy with colleagues, mentors and friends this year on a tour of the city and at the NP photo shoot! For those who participated, the professional photos will be available digitally very soon. Please watch your email for details.
This year’s conference received a great deal of media attention, including this library of articles from Clinical Advisor.