INS Attends the 2024 ANCC National Magnet Conference® and Pathway to Excellence Conference®

INS Mission
“INS sets the standard for excellence in infusion nursing by:

• Developing and disseminating the Infusion Therapy Standards of Practice
• Providing professional development opportunities and quality education
• Advancing best practice through evidence-based practice and research
• Supporting professional certification
• Advocating for the public”^­1

Figure 1: Derek demonstrating Ask IVY™ and explaining its benefits of use with the INS Standards of Practice.

The INS mission is the grounding force for all those who are involved within the organization, and this does not exclude the work being completed at conferences. Marlene, Chris, and I all set out to represent INS at the 2024 ANCC National Magnet Conference^® and Pathway to Excellence Conference^®.Our goal was to aid in the organization’s mission by bringing pieces of INS to the conference attendees.

Figure 2: from left to right, Derek Fox, INS Nurse Educator;
Dr. Marlene Steinheiser, INS Director of Clinical Education; & Chris Hunt, INS CEO

Although I cannot quote the exact number of attendees, there was a rumor going around stating that there was an upward of 15,000 attendees, and by the size of the crowds, this was very believable.  Some attendees we encountered included clinicians, leaders, and industry partners from various specialties and organizations globally. The diversity of attendees called for various needs. The team worked on providing INS resources to help answer clinical inquiry or address the unique needs of the attendees. With hundreds of meaningful conversations, the team helped move the needle on infusion care by demonstrating the relevance of INS resources in all patient care areas. Shedding light to clinicians outside of care areas directly related to vascular access or infusion highlighted a continued need for multidisciplinary connections. Although the attendees were diverse, one common uniting factor is the overarching goal to be an exemplar in best patient outcomes. This is only achieved when all disciplines and specialties can unite and work together.

Making Connections and Strengthening Relationships within the Nursing Community

Figure 3: Katie Boston-Leary, PhD, MBA, MHA, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN,
Senior Vice President of Equity and Engagement with the American Nurses Association,
and Derek Fox, INS Nurse Educator reconnect at the INS booth.

Not every day do you get to brush shoulders with what I call the heroes of the profession. Key initiative leaders were in abundance at the conference, including one of my favorites, Dr. Katie Boston-Leary. Networking and working with other professionals is very meaningful when you evaluate the impact you can make for patients, families, and colleagues. In addition to the impact, the level of gratification achieved by making these meaningful connections truly aids in your overall career satisfaction that helps keep your inner flame burning.

Although it is always great to reconnect, expanding resources and networks at conferences is one of the huge benefits of attending. INS made many new welcomed connections, with whom we are excited to partner to provide future work that will aid in the advancement in practice.

Speaking of connections, there were connections made between the INCC CRNI® certification and other certifications. Many clinicians expressed their interest in advancing their practice by becoming a CRNI®. The INS team discussed the benefits of becoming a certified registered nurse infusion and how adding to their “alphabet soup” can impact the care they deliver. Many clinicians were intrigued by the amount of overlap CRNI® had within their current practice and how it complements their specialty. To name a few, there were emergency nurses, critical care nurses, and oncology nurses who felt that CRNI® could benefit their practice and elevate their expertise as a clinician. Infusion care is a large part of many nurses’ bedside practice, which gains CRNI® relevance to clinicians outside of vascular access and infusion.

Celebrating Halloween at Conference

What better way to spend Halloween than in New Orleans, Louisiana? Some of the locals refer to Halloween as a “mini-Mardi Gras celebration,” as there are many local traditions and cultures that contribute to the spirit of Halloween. This held true to the conference as well. Many attendees and exhibitors showed their Halloween spirit by wearing their favorite costumes that gave this day an edge over any ordinary day at the conference. 

Later in the evening, attendees were able to experience local traditions of celebrating Halloween as the city buzzed with fun costumes, laughter, and spooky tales being told that derived from the rich history the city has to offer.

Figure 4. Dr. Marlene Steinheiser, Director of Clinical Education,
and Derek Fox, INS Nurse Educator show off their Halloween spirit at the INS booth

Moving Forward

Leaving the conference, it was hard not to feel the magnetism from attending. From the various learning tracks like Transformational Leadership; New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements; Exemplary Professional Practice; and Structural Empowerment, attendees left with new knowledge on improving the nursing profession and health care collectively.

As INS continues to expand worldwide, there are unique opportunities that continue to be revealed. These opportunities strengthen INS and aid in the enrichment INS has to offer the Infusion specialty. From meaningful engagements, collaboration, and uncovering the newest innovations and literature, INS marches forward. I look forward to future conferences and additional insight that can be obtained to help us, INS, continue to provide quality education programs and resources to clinicians across the world. We hope to see you all in Las Vegas, Nevada April 26 – 29, 2025 at the INS annual meeting where you, too, can experience what attending a conference can provide to you and your patients and families that you serve. Check out this link for more information: INS Annual Meeting 2025.

References

1. Infusion Nurses Society. About Us. INS. Available at: https://www.ins1.org/about-us/#:~:text=INS%20sets%20the%20standard%20for%20excellence%20in%20infusion,research%20Supporting%20professional%20certification%20Advocating%20for%20the%20public. Accessed November 12, 2024