Schedule

Preconference Course (Wednesday, September 14)

These events are an extra-cost event and is not included in the main conference registration fee. The Preconference Courses are available to in-person attendees only.

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Instructor Course (001)

The APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Instructor Course is designed for any nurse who has completed the provider course and meets the qualifications to be trained to teach the course. This course provides general instruction in adult education, guidance in the planning of lectures based on the APHON program content, and instruction in administering the provider exam. Upon successful completion, nurses return to their institutions as recognized APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Instructors who are able to provide ongoing instruction and education to other registered nurses.

Speaker:

Ruth Anne Herring, MSN APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPHON^®

Anne Marie Sterk, MSN RN CPON^®

9:15 am – 5:15 pm

Leadership Course: Identify & Use your Personality Strengths to Optimize Your Leadership Style (002)

Leadership skills are needed in many different roles. In 2019, a concurrent session with a focus on developing leadership skills at all levels was held at the national APHON conference. Many self-assessment tools are available to enable people to learn more about their personality type and their behavioral style, and a brief overview of some available tools was shared at the session.

Speaker:

Veronica Garza, MA SHRM-SCP SPHR Mary Newman, MSN RN NE-BC CPON^®

Joan O'Hanlon-Curry, MS RN CPNP CPON^®

Kaye Schmidt, MA RN NEA-BC CPHON^®

Veronica Garza, MA SHRM-SCP SPHR

Preconference Workshops (Thursday, September 15)

Each pre-conference course is an extra-fee event. Please click on each course title to view the full description.

8:30 am – 12:30 pm

Translating Evidence into Practice: A Workshop Providing Mentorship, Collaboration, and Support to Assist in Implementation of EBP/QI Projects (003)

Evidence-based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI), and research are fundamental to the nursing profession’s ability to remain relevant and up-to-date in an ever-changing and complex healthcare environment. The American Nurses Association (ANA) considers scholarly inquiry one of the essential features in the “advancement of professional nursing practice”.

Speaker:

Micah Skeens, PhD RN CPNP

Lisa Bashore, PhD CPNP-PC CPON^®

Amanda Lulloff, PhD ARNP PCNS CPHON^®

Danielle Gunter, PhD RN CPN

Fernanda Silva-Rodrigues, PhD RN

8:30 am – 12:15 pm

Abstracts, Posters, Presentations, and More! (004)

The APHON Conference Planning Committee is excited to offer this FREE (for members) workshop to attendees looking for education about abstracts and professional presentations.

This workshop will offer didactic education about writing abstract reviewers can’t pass up, developing an award-winning poster presentation, and strategies for successful oral presentations. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn from an expert in the field, sharing tips and tricks from the reviewer's perspective.
Small group breakouts will be mentored/facilitated by Conference Planning Committee members to help attendees develop their project ideas into a future submission to a professional organization.

Speaker:

Stacy Whiteside, MS APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPON^®

Tonya Ureda, MS RN FNP-BC

Kathleen (Kitty) Montgomery, PhD RN PCNS-BC CPHON^®

Casey Hooke, PhD APRN PCNS-BC FAAN

Micah A. Skeens, PhD RN CPNP

Stacy Whiteside, MS APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPON^®

Karyn Brundige, MSN CPNP

Denise Mills, MN RN(EC) NP CPHON^®

Mindy J. Bibart, DNP RN CPHON® NEA-BC CSSBB

8:30 am – 12:15 pm

The Three C's Challenge — Crucial and Compassionate Conversations (005)

Communication is an integral part of all nursing interactions. It is the way we give and receive information to guide patient care, decision making and respond to difficult situations. Challenging and crucial conversations happen when stakes are high, opinions vary and emotions are strong. When this occurs, we have an opportunity to engage compassionately with our patients and each other. Our responses in these challenging situations will effect outcomes, both positively and negatively. Developing a toolkit of ways to critically examine the facts, emotions, communication patterns and responses will enable nurses to respond compassionately to facilitate information exchange in effective ways and mitigate our own emotions in crucial conversations. This pre conference will provide an opportunity to learn and practice practical communication skills to support patients and families and as well as each other.

Speaker:

Deborah Lafond, DNP PPCNP-BC CHPPN FPCN FAAN

Kathy Perko, PPCNP-BC CPHON^® CHPPN FPCN

Amy Haskamp, MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON^®CHPPN

Deborah Echtenkamp, MSN APRN-CNS CPON^®

8:30 am – 12:15 pm

Safe Zone Training (006)

Healthcare professionals are now interacting with more members of the LGBTQ+ community in their practices. How comfortable are you with engaging your patients and their families in conversations regarding sexuality and gender? Do you know and understand the current words and definitions used by the LGTBQ+ community? Do you understand what an ally is? Can you describe the differences between diversity and inclusion? During this session, Teresa will lead discussions on these topics and help engage in activities that will allow you to reflect on your own knowledge and thoughts around your LGBTQ+ patients and families. At the end of this session, you will be “Safe Zone” trained. Teresa will also explore how you can bring about change in your institution to increase inclusion and provide better patient and family experiences.

Speaker:: Teresa Conte, PhD CPNP

Thursday, September 15

All session times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC -4

7:15 – 8:15 pm

Professional Development Session: Professional Development GPS: The Long and Winding Road from Route 1 to Route 101 (CDE)

What does professional development mean for you? Do you want to get involved in your institution or APHON but are unsure how to start? Are you thinking about going back to school but are not certain what options best suit your needs? Interested in speaking to other APHON members to "pick their brains" about issues or questions you have in your own practice? Want to spend some time with some super nice people and have some SNACKS? This is the session for you!

Speaker:

Debbie Lafond, DNP CHPPN PPCNP-PC CPON^®

Angie Blackwell, MSN RN CNS CPON^®

Meredith Foxx, MSN RN PCNS-BC CPON^®

Cecelia Gladbach, BSN RN BMTCN^® CPON^®

Terri L. Boyce, DNP APRN CPNP-AC CPHON^®

Teresa M. Conte, PhD MSN CRNP

Allison McNeil, BSN CPHON®

Kathy Perko, MS CHPPN CPNP CPON^®

Breanne Roche, DNP RN CPNP-PC CPHON^®

Melody A Watral, MSN RN CPNP CPNP-PC

2:30 – 3:30 pm

Opening Keynote: Embracing "AND" to Build Resilience: 3 Powerful AND Practical Strategies For Life (101)

Kim Regis is a retired Super Hero. A stroke stopped her life and taught her how to live a full authentic and integrated life. She went from living with a filled and fragmented schedule to strategizing how to put her experience in nursing, operations, and executive leadership to work for the greater good.

Speaker:: Kim Regis, DNP RN NEA PNP BCC

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Building a Sickle Cell Nurse Champions Program to improve patient care and nursing performance (200)

The social upheaval throughout the country during the summer of 2020 raised international awareness about the inequities people of color face throughout their lives. Sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are a particular group that experiences healthcare disparities. The Sickle Cell Nurse Champion Program was created as a novel educational program to improve patient care and nursing performance. To build this program, we conducted a needs assessment from our patients and parents.

Speaker:

Deborah Harris MN RN CPNP-AC/PC CNS CPHON^®

Trish Peterson MSN NP CPNP

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

We're Done! Now What? Determining End of Treatment Needs of Childhood Cancer Survivors and their Parents (201)

As the number of child cancer survivors (CCS) increases, so has the recognition of the unique needs of this group throughout the cancer-survivorship continuum. The end of cancer treatment (EOT) is a critical timepoint on this continuum. Family support and education needs at EOT are estimated to be at a similar level to what they were at diagnosis. Indeed, CCS and their parents report feeling unprepared for the physical, emotional, and psychosocial challenges inherent in recovering from treatment and reintegrating back into school, work, and family life.

Speaker:

Mary Keller MSN RN CPHON^®

Elizabeth Holden BSN RN CPON^®

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Grow Your Professional Skills: Become a Peer Reviewer for a Journal (202)

Serving as a peer reviewer for a journal is an opportunity to serve your professional specialty, advance your knowledge and skills as a writer, and experience professional growth. Additionally, serving as a journal reviewer is recognized in performance reviews and can contribute to professional advancement on a clinical ladder. Peer reviewing is rewarding as you guide authors to improve their manuscripts and contribute to steering nursing science and practice.

Speaker:

Casey Hooke PhD APRN PCNS-BC FAAN JOPHON Assistant Editor

Kristin Stegenga PhD RN CPON^®

Suzanne Ameringer PHD RN FAAN Assistant Editor JOPHON

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

CBD, THC, GVH, MMJ: Practical Ways to Make Sense of the Alphabet Soup (203)

Many pediatric oncology patients report medical marijuana (MMJ) and hemp-based CBD use. Hemp is now federally legal under the Farm Bill since December 2018 and hemp-based cannabinoid products are widely available. Research focused on cannabis and its’ use in oncology, hematology, and bone marrow transplant is continuing to grow. A study in Israel looks at adding cannabis to the treatment of graft versus host disease following bone marrow transplant.

Speaker:: Molly Hemenway DNP MS RN CPNP-AC/PC

3:45 pm – 4:45 pm

Targeting Patient and Family Education for ALK/MEK Inhibitor Therapy: What We Learned from the COG Nursing Evidenced Based Project (C204)

Children with cancer have historically received multiple modalities of therapy to treat their disease processes including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and stem cell transplant. These modalities incur the potential for significant acute toxicity and late effects from therapy. In the last decade, the addition of a new modality known as biotherapy has become an integral player in the treatment of pediatric cancers. Biotherapy includes targeted therapies used to attack and destroy cancer cells while minimizing effects on healthy cells and tissue.

Speaker:

Anastasia Brown, BSN RN CPHON^®CCRP

Beth Fisher, DNP APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPON^®

Ashley Meyer, MSN CPNP-PC

Mary Keller, MSN RN CPHON^®

Tara McKeown, MN NP Paediatric

Jennifer Tiller, MSN APRN CPNP-PC CPHON^®

Elizabeth Duffy, DNP RN CPNP

3:45 pm – 4:05 pm

Approaches to Facilitate Patient-Reported Outcome Symptom Assessments in Children and Adolescents with Cancer (205-1)

Children and adolescents with cancer suffer with symptoms related to their diagnosis and to cancer-directed therapies; symptoms that are frequently poorly recognized and may be under-treated by clinicians. When symptoms persist or become severe, they can lead to dose-reductions and even premature discontinuation of cancer-directed therapies, which, in turn, can negatively affect treatment efficacy and survivorship. The first step to improving symptom management is to develop a better method for assessing and tracking symptoms.

Speaker:

Karen Gibbs

Stefanie Pieper MSN RN CCRN

Stacey Crane PhD RN CPON^®

4:05 pm – 4:25 pm

Parenting Beyond the Veil': Supporting Bereaved Parents as They Continue Their Parenting Relationship After a Child's Death (205-2)

Childhood cancer is the leading cause of illness-related death, leaving thousands of parents to experience bereavement. Parental bereavement is a new state of being, in which parents maintain the parenting relationship in the presence of the child’s absence. While the literature offers insight into continuing bonds, limitations exist related to generalizability and the highly individualized nature of bereavement. There is a need for further exploration to better understand the continuing parenting relationship that is part of the bereavement experience after a child’s death due to cancer.

The aim of this qualitative research study was to describe the lived experience of bereaved parents who experienced the death of a child due to cancer.

Speaker:: Christine Denhup PHD APRN CPNP-PC

4:25 pm – 4:45 pm

Examining Existential Distress in Adolescents with Advanced Cancer (205-3)

The life-threatening nature of advanced cancer has many psychosocial effects on both the patient and the family. Adolescents are mature enough to understand death and to have developed life goals, yet are also experiencing a period of distinct developmental challenges and psychosocial dynamics. As a result, existential distress may be highly significant and uniquely experienced by adolescents with advanced cancer. Existential distress and its impact on symptom management, suffering, and other patient outcomes have not been well-studied in adolescents with cancer.

This purpose of this paper is to analyze the concept of existential distress, highlighting and raising awareness of how existential distress may impact adolescents with advanced cancer and their families

Speaker:

Stefanie Pieper MSN RN CCRN

Meagan Whisenan PhD APRN

Stacey Crane PHD RN CPON^®

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Bench to Bedside: DNP and Nurse Researcher Collaboration (206)

Speaker:: Donna Bell MSN ARPN FNP-C CPHON^®
Lisa Triche DNP APRN CPNP CHPON^®

5:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Prior Authorization: Where was that in Nursing School? (207-1)

The world of healthcare has been dominated by discussion about COVID-19 over the past 2 years. At the same time, the field of pediatric hematology-oncology has continued to move forward with new therapies which offer hope for enhanced outcomes, specifically in the field of precision medicine. The topic that is not often recognized in those discussions is the growing complexity of payment for these therapies, as well as therapies that have been considered “standard” for many years. Nurses may be seeing increased requirement to participate in discussions about the cost or prior authorization of medications for their patients. In addition to these requirements, third party payors have growing expectations for prior authorization. At the same time, there are more third-party payor options on the market for families to choose, and unfortunately, some families are choosing plans that may not provide adequate coverage. The political climate has changed, as well, and the individual mandate for coverage, which was originally a part of the Affordable Care Act, was rescinded. New legislation has now created the No Surprises Act, which requires up-front estimate of the cost of care for specific situations. There was a time when care was scheduled as expected, and there was no need to worry about prior authorization, but in today’s world, nurses are likely hearing more and more about the status or need for “approval” of care in advance. This session will provide an overview of what pediatric hematology-oncology nurses may be experiencing as a part of daily operations in the care of these patients and families. An evolving model of multidisciplinary involvement to assure timely care in the face of growing third party payor expectations will be shared.

Speaker:

Kaye Schmidt MA RN NEA-BC CPHON^®

Cecilia Gladbach BSN RN CPON^® BMTCN^®

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Compassionate Use, Expanded Access, and Patient Assistance ? Obtaining Life-Saving Medications When a Clinical Trial is Not Available (207-2)

The vast majority of clinical trials conducted in oncology are not open to patients under the age of 18 years old, leaving pediatric cancer patients with a very limited selection of FDA-approved therapies. Though clinical trials are the safest and most-beneficial means of determining the effectiveness of medications, not all patients have the option to enroll in clinical trials due to barriers such as patient clinical status, geographic location, or enrollment caps. In other circumstances where FDA-approved therapies are commercially available, insurance companies simply deny payment for off-label use of these expensive medications based on disease categories instead of oncogenic targets. Compassionate use programs, also known as expanded access trials or single patient investigational new drugs, provide opportunity for these patients to obtain possibly life-saving therapies. This interactive session will help demystify the process of gaining access to medical therapies on behalf of our patients. The different terms used in the compassionate use process will be discussed, as well as the specific steps oncology teams can take to apply to the FDA for approval of experimental medications. Case studies will provide examples of how the compassionate use process works in different circumstances as well as demonstrate clinical outcomes. Payment assistance programs and other resources to help patients pay for FDA-approved medications will also be covered.

Speaker:

Jason Morris MSN CPNP-PC CPHON^®

Anne Raines, MSN, RN, CPHON

5:00 pm – 5:30 pm

The Role of the Pediatric Clinical Research Nurse in the Management of Severe Aplastic Anemia (208-1)

Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a serious and life-threatening condition with an unknown etiology, involving improper production of stem cells due to damaged bone marrow. Without functional stem cells, the body is depleted of red blood cells, white blood cells, and/or platelets. With only 600 to 900 cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. alone, SAA is rare. Most patients are only provided supportive care measures: receiving blood transfusions to manage symptoms and adhere to complex medication regimens to limit complications; however, advancements in treatment of SAA are made possible through clinical research trials. The Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) must address the clinical needs of the research patient, but also be sensitive to the psychosocial and ethical issues of supporting pediatric research patients. This case study presents a 7-year old Mongolian patient, “M.B.”, with refractory SAA, who failed standard immunosuppressive therapy and failed to engraft from a previous expanded umbilical cord stem cell transplant. M.B. was enrolled in a clinical research protocol in which he underwent a haplo-identical transplantation using peripheral blood stem cells and post-transplant GVHD prophylaxis using Cyclophosphamide. M.B.’s complex clinical trajectory will unfold over the course of the case study, with the role of the Clinical Research Nurse highlighted. In addition to clinical complications, the COVID-19 pandemic added an additional layer of psychosocial and ethical complexities for M.B. and his family to navigate. Application of the Clinical Research Nurse Domain of Practice ensures that the bedside nurse addresses the holistic needs of the research patient and caregiver at the bedside, while also maintaining the integrity of the research protocol.

Speaker:: Alejandra Castillo MSN RN

5:00–6:00 pm

Bench to Bedside: DNP and Nurse Researcher Collaboration (206)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in nursing, while different in focus, in collaboration serve as integral, interrelated components in quality improvement, evidenced-based practice, research and dissemination. The strength in combining the research appraisal and investigation of PhD-prepared nurse and the DNP-prepared nurses’ clinical experience and skill offers opportunities to address gaps in patient care and bring the “bench to the bedside”.In pediatric hematology/oncology, both the DNP and PhD-prepared nurse are well positioned to be drivers of practice change and improvement. By recognizing each other’s strengths, this group of scholarly nurses can create a partnership to develop and implement evidenced-based care, impact the quality of care delivered and enhance the patient experience. In this session, attendees will follow along the presenter’s journey as they collaborate to develop their first clinical research study focused in childhood leukemia, and share their lessons learned, failures, mistakes to avoid and overall success.

Speaker:

Donna Bell, MSN ARPN FNP-C CPHON^®

Lisa Triche, DNP APRN CPNP CHPON^®

9:45 – 10:45 am

Using Your Resources-The Role Of A Clinical Resource Nurse (208-2)

Patient census and acuity throughout healthcare institutions continue to rise as staffing numbers and resources remain the same. Nursing is asked to create innovative ways to maximize staff productivity and efficiency, decrease burnout and increase retention while improving patient care. The development of a Clinical Resource Nurse (CRN) is an innovative approach to maximize the nurse's clinical potential and improve unit efficiency while working within the context of the current staffing model.

Speaker:

Angela Warne BSN RN CPHON^®

Maria Cristina Pinero BSN RN CPHON^®

Rachel Bright MSN RN CPHON^®

5:00 pm – 5:30 pm

Neuro 911: Managing Neurologic Complications in Pediatric Oncology Patients (209-1)

Neurologic complications are common in pediatric patients with all types of malignancies. These complications can arise from the disease process itself or as a result of one of our therapies. Oncology nurses care for patients receiving multi-modal therapy with chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. It is important to recognize these complications quickly and correctly. Initiating treatment quickly may reduce pain, may prevent further progression and permanent deficits.

Speaker:: Heather Meador MSN APRN CPNP AC/PC CPHON^®

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Onco-Critical Care 101 (209-2)

Pediatric Oncology nurses are frequently exposed to patients with oncologic emergencies and who become critically ill requiring transfer to the PICU. They are familiar with conditions requiring transfer but happens to these patients while they are in the PICU? When the patient is transferred back to the regular oncology floor or presents back in clinic, it is helpful for the nurse to know what happened to their patient in the PICU. Common oncology critical care interventions such as CRRT, vasopressors, respiratory support, ect are largely unfamiliar to oncology nurses but can be helpful to understand for post PICU care and in situations where care must be initiated by the nurse on the floor. This presentation will cover the basics of Oncology Critical Care including recognizing oncologic emergencies that should trigger transfer to PICU and how these conditions are treated once the patient is in the PICU.

Speaker:: Katie Gardner MSN APRN CPNP-AC

5:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Toward a Cure for Sickle Cell Disease: Exploring Gene Therapy (210)

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide. It is estimated that 300,000 babies are born with SCD every year and it occurs largely in descendants of Sub Saharan Africa. SCD is caused by a specific mutation in the beta globin gene that results in sickle hemoglobin production. Sickle hemoglobin polymerization leads to red blood cell sickling, chronic hemolysis and vaso - occlusion. Patients with SCD experience significant pain crisis and end organ damage that leads to a decreased lifespan with a median life expectancy in the United States of 43 years. At this time, the only known cure for SCD is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) most often with matched sibling donors.

Speaker:

Joanne Torok-Castanza RN MSN CPNP-PC FNP-PC BMTCN^®

5:00 pm - 5:20 pm

Symptom Experience, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Management Behaviors Reported by Adolescents and Young Adults with Cancer (211-1)

Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer experience co-occurring symptoms both during treatment and into survivorship. Most AYAs are healthy prior to diagnosis and need to learn self-management strategies for their cancer-related symptoms. Self-efficacy is requisite for AYAs to engage successfully in symptom self-management behaviors. Improving AYAs’ self-efficacy for managing symptoms and their use of effective symptom self-management behaviors can promote better outcomes for AYAs along the cancer care continuum.

The specific objectives were to describe the self-reported symptoms, self-efficacy for managing symptoms, and symptom self-management behaviors in a cross-sectional sample of AYAs with cancer.

Speaker:: Suzanne Ameringer PHD RN FAAN Assistant Editor JOPHON

Catherine Fiona Macpherson
Jeanne Erickson

Lauri Linder
Kristin Stegenga PhD RN CPON^®

5:20 pm – 5:40 pm

Preschool-Aged Child Self-Reported Cancer Communication Preferences (211-2)

Psychosocial care standards recommend that children and adolescents are engaged in their childhood cancer treatment according to their developmental abilities (Weiner et al, 2015). The study of child and adolescent cancer treatment communication has focused on school-age and adolescent children, but very few studies address preschool-aged child cancer communication. Identifying how preschoolers talk about their communication preferences could provide greater understanding of their self-reported needs.

Speaker:: Ginny Schulz PhD RN CPNP-PC

Kimberly Pyke-Grimm PhD RN
Katherine Kelly PhD RN

Friday, September 16

All session times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC -4

7:00 – 8:30 am

Local Chapter Strategies-Shared Experiences to Shared Success (LCM)

The Local Chapter Committee liaisons and chapter leaders will convene to discuss topics that affect the functioning of local chapters, such as education, recruitment and retention, fundraising, and community service. Topics will be discussed in a round table manner and then presented to the whole group.

Speaker:: Stacy Wolf, MS RN CPNP-AC CPON®

Kari Wheeler, BSN RN CPN BMTCN® CPHON®
Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON^®

Kathy Perko, MS PPCNP-BC CHPPN FPCN CPON^®

Scarlett Czarnecki, MSN RN CPHON^®

Colleen Nixon, MSN RN CPHON^®

Mary Newman, MSN RN NE-BC CPON^®

8:30 am – 9:30 am

General Session: State of Nursing: Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: A Glimpse of the Past, Current State, a Glance of the Future (102)

Over the last 60 years, significant advances in in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has provided improvements in effective treatment or cure and overall survival for many patients. There has been considerable HSCT progress and success in a variety of pediatric malignant and non-malignant diseases. This state of the science presentation will be providing the evolution and current and future highlights of Pediatric HSCT as it relates to disease conditions, stem cell sources, conditioning regimens, cellular immunotherapy, toxicity related treatments and supportive care.

Speaker:

Rita Secola, PhD RN CPON^® FAAN

Misty Evans, DNP APRN CPNP-AC BMTCN^®

Karen Wolownik, MSN RN CPNP CPHON^®

9:45 am – 10:45 am

Next Generation Patient Safety: Keeping Nurses Safe Too (212)

Nursing is a dangerous profession. Nurses are at risk for physical, emotional, and legal consequences, which may manifest in various concerning ways. Compared with the general population, the rate of completed suicide is double for nurses and considerably higher than other healthcare workers. Many nurses experience occupational violence committed by patients, families, or even colleagues. Much of the abuse goes unreported.

Speaker:: Mindy Bibart DNP RN CPHON^®NEA-BC CSSBB

9:45 am – 10:15 am

Sickle Cell Disease: When Abdominal Pain is Not Sickle Cell Pain (213-1)

A hallmark of sickle cell disease is pain. Abdominal pain can be a common complaint among children with and without sickle disease and may be related to a wide variety of underlying causes For children with and without sickle cell disease abdominal pain may be related to constipation, anxiety, an infectious process, an acute surgical concern or possibly a chronic medical condition. Abdominal pain in a child with sickle cell disease may be related to any of the previously mentioned causes but may also be related to splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, cholelithiasis, or a vaso-occlusive crises.

Speaker:: Jennifer Young MS APRN CPNP-AC CPHON^®

10:15 am – 10:45 am

Sickle Cell Disease and Increased Hemolysis. When to Consider Evaluating for A Concurrent Hereditary Hemolytic Condition (213-2)

Sickle Cell Disease is an inherited red blood cell disorder that can lead to increased hemolysis which can result in significant anemia. When a child with sickle cell disease does not respond to therapies or interventions designed to decrease hemolysis, then a provider may want to consider the presence of a concurrent inherited hemolytic process such as G6PD, Hereditary Elliptocytosis or Gluthathione reductase deficiency.

Speaker:

Jennifer Young MS APRN CPNP-AC CPHON^®

Simone Weinmann MS LGC CGC

9:45 am – 10:45 am

Photobiomodulation for Prevention and Treatment of Oral Mucositis: Part II (214)

Oral mucositis is a significant and common toxicity experienced by patients who receive high-dose chemotherapy as a preparatory regimen for a hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Photobiomodulation has been found to be feasible with significant efficacy in preventing the progression of oral mucositis in patients undergoing HCT.

Speaker:: Michele Pritchard
Judy Bosi

Susan Ogg, MSN RN

Belinda Mandrell, PhD RN CPNP FAAN

9:45 am – 10:50 am

Neurofibromatosis Therapeutics Program: Program Development, Tumor Treatment, and Side Effect Management (215)

The advanced practice provider is instrumental in designing, developing, and growing a program to treat tumors associated with Neurofibromatosis (NF) Type 1 and 2. Both NF1 and NF2 are autosomal dominant genetic disorders associated with the growth of both benign and malignant tumors of the peripheral and central nervous system. In the last two years selumetinib, a MEK inhibitor, gained FDA approval for treatment of plexiform neurofibromas in the children with NF.

Speaker:: Molly Hemenway DNP MS RN CPNP-AC/PC

9:45 am – 10:45 am

Using Their Own Words: AYA Cancer Patients as Influencers in COG Clinical Trials (C216)

Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer patients continue to be a conundrum for providers, researchers, and health care systems. Previous challenges for AYA oncology care have been identified as delayed diagnosis, lack of insurance, limited clinical trial availability and enrollment, tumor biology, unique toxicity profiles, distinct psychosocial issues, and more. While there has been advancement in the treatment of AYAs with cancer, there is a paucity of information about how that treatment impacts the AYA cancer patient’s life, both during treatment and beyond.

Speaker:: Stacy Whiteside, MS APRN CPON^® CPNP-AC/PC

9:45 am – 10:15 am

Insurance and Neighborhood Opportunity Predict Adverse Events in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (217-1)

Our prior research uncovered potential socioeconomic (SE) risk factors for two adverse events that impact children hospitalized with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL): hyperglycemia and severe sepsis. That research, however, was limited to only two measures of SE status, insurance source and median neighborhood income. Composite indices of neighborhood social and economic stability are useful in gleaning understanding of pathways between a child’s immediate environment and health outcomes. Yet, there is little reporting of the best way to measure these aspects of a child’s environment in pediatric oncology nursing research.

This study was a side-by-side comparison of three measures of SE status: insurance source, area deprivation and neighborhood child opportunity. The study goal was to determine each one’s utility as risk a predictor of hyperglycemia and serious infections, two outcomes our team has shown are potentially influenced by SE factors.

Speaker:: Haiqun Li MD PhD

Peter Col MD
Beth Savage PhD CPNP CPON^®

10:15 am – 10:45 am

HSCT for MPS disorders (Hunters and Hurlers), (217-2)

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) is best known as a treatment modality for hematologic malignancies, some solid tumors, and various autoimmune disorders. It is lesser known as a means to halt progressive symptoms in certain chromosomal inherited disorders such as Hunters and Hurlers disease. Patients with Hunters and Hurlers are born with an inherited x-linked chromosomal disease where sugar molecules are unable to be broken down and digested by the body causing both physical and mental disabilities. There is no cure for these diseases but HSCT is an intensive therapy that has shown promise with these diagnoses, helping to stop progression of symptoms of disease.

Two case studies of children who underwent HSCT at our center, one for Hunter’s and one for Hurler’s, will be presented from both a medical and psychosocial standpoint. How these children first presented, how HSCT affect their disease, the complications they underwent during their HSCT, and the complex psychosocial aspects of receiving chemotherapy as well as an extended hospitalization.

Learning Objectives:

The learner will describe the role of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant in the treatment of non-malignant diseases.
Identify conditioning regimens and their unique complications for non – malignant diseases.
The learner will describe the psychosocial needs of hematopoietic transplant patients and their families when they undergo a complex regiment such as HSCT.

Speaker:

Sarah Tarquini PhD

Kathryn Goddard MSN FNP-C CPHON^® BMTCN^®

Caroline Costello MBA BSN RN CPON^® BMTCN^® NPD-BC

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

General Session: Sickle Cell Disease: Pathophysiology, Pain, and Prevention of Problems (103)

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited hemoglobinopathy in the United States; the etiology is a DNA mutation that results in the different amino acids at position 6 of the beta-globin chain, where valine is produced instead of glutamine. The sickling of the red blood cell sets off a cascade of pathology. Vaso occlusion causing ischemia to almost every body system accounts for the majority of morbidity and is the etiology of acute pain episodes. Acute pain episodes account for the majority of health care utilization by this population.

Speaker:: Patsy A. Clarke, DNP APRN CPHON^® CPNP-PC

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

It's All About the Messaging-Pediatric Palliative Care and Communication (218)

Each year, approximately 16,800 children are diagnosed with cancer. With this diagnosis comes both the hope for a cure and the fear of death. Both hope and fear require our attention and understanding. Children diagnosed with cancer need skilled intradisciplinary treatment teams that provide guidance and support in decisions related to therapy modalities aimed at treating the cancer. Aiming for cure is the hope of all children and families facing a cancer diagnosis. Goals of therapy become very important to designing the best treatment for the child.

Speaker:: Beth Fisher DNP APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPON^®

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

Can Symptom Scores And Symptom Profiles Be More Clinically Useful? (219)

Symptom science has rapidly evolved over the past two decades, with progression from symptom measurement to sophisticated approaches to analyzing symptom data to illuminate symptom patterns. Cluster and person-specific approaches have been used in pediatric oncology research, but discussion of the clinical value of data generated from these approaches is lacking.

Speaker:: Pamela Hinds PhD RN FAAN
Kathleen (Kitty) Montgomery PhD RN PCNS-BC CPHON^®

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia: A Clinical Overview (220)

Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is one of the most common hematologic conditions encountered in pediatric hematology and is a diagnosis of exclusion with no specific testing available to confirm the condition. While fairly consistent and typical in presentation, the astute clinician must be able to differentiate between immune and nonimmune etiologies of thrombocytopenia in order to confirm an accurate diagnosis, etiology, and treatment plan while shielding the patient from unnecessary testing and workup.

Speaker:: Jennifer Tiller MSN APRN CPNP-PC CPHON^®

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

You Deserve to Preserve: A Proposal to Offer Fertility Preservation to All Eligible Pediatric Oncology Patients (221)

Fertility preservation, the opportunity to preserve one’s ability to have genetically-related children prior to damaging or destroying the reproductive system, is a young but rapidly expanding field. Historically, fertility preservation has only been available to postpubertal male and female cancer patients via oocyte, embryo, and sperm cryopreservation.

Speaker:

Antonia Leavitt MSN APRN FNP-BC AOCNP

Karen Albritton MD

Sommer Mims MSN APRN CPNP-AC/PC

4:15 pm – 4:35 pm

Decreasing Ambulatory CLABSIs in Oncology Patients (223-1)

Ambulatory CLABSIs occurring in the pediatric oncology patient population result in increased hospitalizations, additional medications, potential for line removal, delayed treatment, decreased pt. satisfaction, and potentially worse pt. outcomes. While much attention has been given to hospital acquired infections, less focus has been given to community occurring infections. This session will describe a quality improvement project performed with the aim of decreasing the rate of ambulatory CLABSIs.

Learning Objectives:

The learner will be able to discuss the problem of ambulatory CLABSIs in the oncology population
The learner will identify potential cause and effect of ambulatory CLABSIs
The learner will be able to describe quality improvement initiatives designed to decrease incidence of ambulatory CLABSIs

Speaker:: Angie Blackwell MSN RN ACCNS-P CPON^®

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

Hot Topics in Pediatric Oncology: Updates from the Children’s Oncology Group (C222)

Despite the pandemic, the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) has produced 237 publications since the beginning of 2020. The magnitude of this productivity makes it difficult for health care professionals to remain up to date with new knowledge. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight results from four recent, COG publications and assist nurses in translating evidence into their practice.

Speaker:

Micah Skeens PhD RN CPNP

Patricia Cullen PhD RN CPNP-PC

4:35 pm – 4:55 pm

Pediatric Oncology Safety Simulation (223-2)

Pediatric Oncology patients are at high risk for rapid deterioration given their severity of illness, toxicity of interventions and associated immunosuppression. Pediatric Oncology focused escalation of care for patients experiencing clinical deterioration continues to present significant challenges within healthcare. At the current institution a two-year review of inpatient and outpatient oncologic emergencies was evaluated, and a comprehensive Oncology Safety Simulation Program was developed.The Oncology Safety Simulation Program has offered a hands on multi-disciplinary approach to educating physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses and pharmacists on safe practices during Oncology medical emergencies. Outcome data has been tracked to evaluate attendees' satisfaction and attendees' evaluation of their ability to utilize the education to change practices at the bedside. Data has been tracked with regards to use of intramuscular epinephrine administration during anaphylaxis and time to implementing the sepsis protocol during a sepsis workup. The simulation process development timeline will be reviewed, outcome data will be shared and latent safety effects will be reviewed.

Speaker:

Stephanie Feist MSN CNP CPHON^®

Paula Cuthrell DNP APRN FNP-BC

Abigail LaRosa, MSN RN CPN CPHON®

Treva Lyke, BSN RN CPEN

4:15 – 5:15 pm

Evidence-Based Practice & Research Grant and Award Recipients Session (RA)

More informal in nature than our concurrent sessions, our Evidence-Based Practice & Research Grant and Award Recipients Session provides 2021 & 2022 grants and award recipients the opportunity to present their project plans and gain insight from participants as they embark on their projects.

4:55 pm – 5:15 pm

Wearing Two Hats: Professional Boundaries When Balancing Direct Care and Research Roles (223-3)

Nursing care, whether in the clinical or research context, is guided and directed by the ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses. The Code of Ethics is based on the ethical principles of beneficence, nonmaleficence, autonomy and justice. These principles can serve to guide nurses as they navigate what may seem to be competing roles of direct-care nurse and nurse intervenor. This presentation will describe: 1) role conflicts that may present when the nurse functions as both care provider and intervenor as part of a research study and 2) strategies for managing role conflict.

Learning Objectives:

Describe role conflicts that may present when direct care nurses including advance practice nurses serve as intervenors in randomized clinical trials.
Identify key ethical principles that the nurse must always consider when providing care either in the clinical or research context.
Outline strategies to manage role conflicts that may present when direct care nurses serve as intervenors in randomized clinical trials.

Speaker:: Heather Meador MSN APRN CPNP AC/PC CPHON (ID: 988712)

Molly Hemenway DNP MS RN CPNP-AC/PC (ID: 373282)

Amy Newman PhD RN CPNP-PC
Janie Avila MSN APRN FNP-C CPON^®

Erin Connelly MSN APRN CPNP-PC CPON^®

Christie Powell MSRN CPNP CPHON^®

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: Inpatient Nursing (PF1)

More informal in nature than our concurrent sessions, our Professional Open Forum sessions give attendees the opportunity to engage in a lively discussion with industry experts covering the hottest topics in pediatric hematology/oncology. Attend this forum to participate in discussions related to inpatient nursing.

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: Outpatient Nursing (PF2)

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: PHD/DNP (PF3)

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: Admin/Manager (PF4)

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: Educator (PF5)

5:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Professional Open Forum: APN (PF6)

7:30 – 10:00 pm

APHON After Dark Party (OE1)

BeachParty

We hope to see you on Friday night at the infamous After-Dark Party. Refreshments and drinks will be available for purchase. Don’t miss out on this exciting chance to reconnect with your fellow members as you talk and dance the night away! The location is to be announced, but you won’t have to travel far from the hotel or convention center.

Space is limited, and tickets will not be available on site.

12:15 pm – 1:45 pm

Annual Business Meeting and Awards Lunch (BUS)

Attend the Annual Business Meeting to learn about what's new from APHON leaders and be a part of the celebration as we recognize the hard work of your peers during our annual awards presentation. Members who attend will be entered into three prize drawings that will be conducted throughout the meeting.

Please note that while this optional event (that is open to APHON members only) is included in the conference fee, pre-registration is required.

Saturday, September 17

All session times are in Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), UTC -4

8:30 am – 9:30 am

General Session: APHON Advocacy: Ask, Tell, Ask (104)

This session will outline the basics of advocacy and APHON’s Advocacy Agenda. Opportunities for engagement in advocacy will be described along with their associated time commitments. A demonstration of making a legislative “ask” will be performed to provide attendees with the tools and confidence they need to advocate for APHON’s priorities locally and nationally.

Speaker:

Katherine Donahue, MS CPNP CPHON^®

Erin Friedman, BSN RN CPHON^®

Amy R. Newman, PhD RN CPNP-PC

Joan O'Hanlon-Curry, MS RN CPNP CPON^®

Emily R. Padgett, BSN RN CPN CPHON^®

Beth A. Siever, MSN CPNP CPON^®

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: What We All Need to Know (224)

In 2021, the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly known as the Institute of Medicine (IOM), released the report Future of Nursing (FON) 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity. This most recent report is the third report on the future of nursing, initially created with the sponsorship of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) published in 2011 (National Academy of Sciences). Nurses at all levels need to be familiar with the needs of the profession and how they can get involved and make a difference for themselves and their patients.

Speaker:

Joan O'Hanlon-Curry MS RN CPNP CPON^®

Mary Newman MSN RN NE-BC CPON^®

10:30 AM - 11:30 AM

Pediatric Anticoagulation: Who, What, When, Where, and Why (and a little How) (225)

Pediatric anticoagulation can present challenges to the advanced practice nurse (as well as the ambulatory or bedside nurse) with limited experience in the broad scope of clinical scenarios where either prophylactic or treatment anticoagulation is recommended (it's not just clots). Traditionally, the only pharmacologic options utilized in children have been limited to heparin (including low molecular weight heparin) and warfarin. However, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are now being incorporated in a limited fashion, dependent on both age of the child and clinical application.

Speaker:: Jennifer Tiller MSN APRN CPNP-PC CPHON^®

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Nutritional Support: Best Practices for Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Patients (226)

Nutrition is vital for children to grow and thrive. This is especially important in children with conditions requiring blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) who receive prolonged, intensive therapy requiring optimal overall health and nutritional status (Baumgartner, 2017). Chemotherapy is associated with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, poor appetite, taste changes, mucositis, and increased catabolic demands (McMillen et al., 2020). Malnutrition rates in the pediatric oncology/BMT population range from 6 to 50% (McMillen et al, 2020), and this can have significant consequences.

Speaker:: Jessica Murphy MS CRNP CPNP-AC CPHON^® CNE

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Building Effective Partnerships in Nursing Practice and Research: Patient Advocacy Organizations and Nurses Supporting Each Other For Best Outcomes (227)

The engagement of patients and caregivers is increasingly more important in the design, conduct and dissemination of research (Kwon, Tandon, Islam, Riley, & Trinh-Shevrin, 2018). Patient advocacy organizations, such as Momcology, are often developed and led by patients, parents and/or caregivers. These organizations are one mechanism to consider when working to implement community engagement and recruitment strategies. Community engagement is far more than the addition of a community advisory board to organizations such as hospitals, agencies or research trials. Authentic engagement should mimic a partnership, including stakeholders in all phases of research from design, conduct, implementation, analysis and dissemination (Woolf, Zimmerman, Haley, & Krist, 2016).

Speaker:

Micah Skeens PhD RN CPNP

Kimberly Buff BS

10:30 am – 11:30 am

Using Shared Experience to Define Optimal Care for Patients Receiving Blinatumomab on COG Clinical Trials (C228)

Targeted therapies that leverage and harness the immune system to treat malignancies have become one of the most rapidly growing treatment approaches in pediatric oncology. Blinatumomab, an immunotherapy, is one such approach which has generated significant momentum in the treatment of pediatric B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) (1). In the relapsed space Blinatumomab has demonstrated improved survival and decreased rates of significant toxicity, compared to standard chemotherapy.

Speaker:: Sue Zupanec, MN NP
Janice Withycombe, PhD RN MN FAAN

10:30 am – 10:50 am

A Collaborative Approach to the Development of Specialized Nursing Education in a Lower Middle-Income Country (Ghana) (229-1)

Children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries are four times more likely to die of the disease than those in high income countries. Expert nurses are critical to a successful pediatric oncology program, yet few opportunities exist for nurses across Ghana to receive specialized education.

Speaker:

Rachel Hollis MHsc RN FRCN

Kimberly Shepherd BSN RN CPHON^®

Lisa Morrissey MPH MSN RN NE-BC

Colleen Nixon, MSN RN NPD-BC CPHON®

10:50 am – 11:10 am

Understanding the Current State of Pediatric Oncology Nursing Quality Measurement in Free-Standing Children’s Hospitals Across the United States (229-2)

The impact of nursing care on patient outcomes has been demonstrated in adult and pediatric settings but limited attention has been given to standardized measurement of pediatric oncology nursing care.

With advances in pediatric cancer therapy, patients may be offered multiple treatment modalities which require intensive nursing support. To provide high quality care for these complex patients with evolving needs, pediatric oncology nurses require specialized skills, knowledge and appropriate resources. Given the gap in current literature addressing the impact of nurse sensitive measures that impact the quality of nursing care across the pediatric oncology continuum, the first step was to identify these potential measures. The ability to identify key performance measures and to articulate their value in the delivery of nursing care is central to improving the quality of the patient/family/employee experience in this highly complex and specialized environment. Using process measures allows for greater understanding of the extent to which clinical care is following best practice.

Speaker:: Pamela Dockx BSN RN CPON^®

11:10 am – 11:30 am

Improving the Efficiency and Efficacy for Patients in Sickle Cell Crisis in the Outpatient Setting (229-3)

The unpredictability of sickle cell crisis leads to same-day add-on visits where the patient is reliant on the provider of the day. Due to the lack of consistent providers, the interpretation of the patient’s pain can be influenced by a lack of understanding on how to properly manage it based on previous encounters.

Speaker:

Rachel Hinkle RN

Allyson Jones BSN RN CPHON^® CPN

Kristen Powaski BSN RN CPHON^®

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

APHON Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Instructors (TH1)

More informal than our concurrent sessions, our Town Hall sessions give attendees the opportunity to engage in a lively discussion with industry experts covering the hottest topics in pediatric hematology/oncology. Attend this Town Hall to participate in discussions related to updates to the Pediatric Chemotherapy and Biotherapy Program and best practices for instructors.

Speaker:

Anne Marie Sterk, MSN RN CPON^®

Ruth Anne Herring, MSN APRN CPNP-AC/PC CPHON^®

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Transplant (TH2)

More informal in nature than our concurrent sessions, our Town Hall sessions give attendees the opportunity to engage in a lively discussion with industry experts covering the hottest topics in pediatric hematology/oncology. Attend this town hall to participate in discussions related to transplant.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Hematology (TH3)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Palliative Care (TH4)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — DEI (TH5)

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Town Hall: Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) (TH6)

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm

What the HEC is MEC? Understanding Antiemetic Therapy for Moderately and Highly Emetogenic Chemotherapy (230)

Optimal chemotherapy induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) control has been shown to improve patient’s quality of life and decrease distress. Without good control, both physical and psychological complications can occur, including anorexia, malnutrition, and nutritional deficiency. But what is optimal CINV control? Nausea without vomiting? No nausea? No vomiting? Only vomiting a few times? This definition can mean something different to every patient, provider, and nurse.

Speaker:: Zanette Kanani Bradley PharmD BCOP
Suzanne Smolik MSN RN CPNP CPON^®

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm

Novel therapeutics and Molecular Based Tumors Boards for CNS tumors; Role of a Nurse Investigator Committee within Clinical Trial Consortiums (231)

Nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) have led an effort to engage nurse scientists in collaborative work within clinical trial consortiums. In the spring of 2021 a new nursing and APP committee was created within the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC). Prior to finalizing the structure of this committee, a one-time, de-identified survey was distributed to all members of PNOC. A total of 68 surveys were returned from 20 different institutions spanning across the globe.

Speaker:

Shannon Raber RN MS CPNP-AC

Ashley Meyer MSN CPNP-PC

Carly Hoffman MS RN CPNP-AC CPON^®

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm

Antiracism in Nursing: Where Do We Begin? (232)

In May of 2020, the murder of George Floyd and the resulting unrest that ensued, sparked outrage throughout our community and around the world. Given the proximity of this event to our hospital, a group of 5 BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) nurses came together to share experiences and highlight disparities, which resulted in the formation of an employee resource group, FUSION (Facilitators of Unity & Strengtheners of Inclusivity of Nursing). They identified that the healthcare system had racist biases and behaviors built into the workplace, which negatively impacted health outcomes for BIPOC, pediatric patients and staff. FUSION began to identify pitfalls and opportunities for improvement related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the pediatric care areas.

Speaker:

Erin Friedman BSN RN CPHON^®

Danielle Wills BSN RN PHN PED-BC

2:45 pm – 3:15 pm

Renewed Hope for the Future: Menin Inhibitors for Relapsed/Refractory Leukemia (233)

Prognosis for pediatric patients and adolescents with multiple relapsed/refractory leukemia remains grim. Many have received relapsed protocols, CAR-T therapies, stem cell transplants and yet, the disease returns. In the past, the next discussion in this patient population would lead towards palliation and quality of life, with little hope for cure. Recent advancement in therapy for children with refractory leukemia has introduced the use of menin inhibitor in patients with KMT2A/MLL and NPM1 mutations, providing a number of young patients with another chance of remission and a chance at a cure.

Speaker:

Laurie Toepfer MSN APRN FNP-C

Aline Hittle MSN APRN FNP-C BMTCN^®

2:15 pm – 3:15 pm

Strategies in Survivorship Care: Addressing Current Long-term Follow-up Surveillance Gaps Through Individualized Survivorship Care Plans And Specialty Survivorship Clinics (234)

With current 10-year survival rates greater than 80% for pediatric, adolescent, and young adult (AYA) cancer patients there exists and ever-increasing population of pediatric and AYA cancer survivors. Pediatric and AYA survivors who finish cancer-directed treatment are often burdened with significant risks for long-term complications. This includes risks of secondary cancers and accelerated development of usual age-related comorbid conditions such as heart failure, kidney disease and osteopenia. Given these risks, cancer survivors require specialized health care monitoring and surveillance. The Childhood Cancer Survivor Study has identified significant, suboptimal adherence to COG screening guidelines for secondary malignancies (breast, colorectal, and skin) and cardiac disease amongst this high-risk population. Many survivors and their caregivers also report that they feel uninformed yet worried about potential late effects. This current gap emphasizes the importance of individualized survivorship care post cancer treatment, both short and long term.

Speaker:: Stephanie Neerings MSN APRN FNP-BC

2:15 pm – 2:35 pm

Do Parents Protect Themselves When Administering Home Oral Chemotherapy to Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia? (235-1)

As part of cancer treatment, parents of children with cancer are expected to administer multiple medications to their child in the home setting (Landier et al., 2016). Safe practices in delivering oral chemotherapy are an essential part of the education of parents of children with cancer (Rodgers et al., 2018). Little is known about what parents actually do in the home setting to protect themselves from exposure when administering oral chemotherapy.

Speaker:

Lori Ranney APRN CNP DNP CPHON^®

Mylynda Livingston APRN CNP DNP CPON^®

Casey Hooke PhD APRN PCNS-BC FAAN JOPHON Assistant Editor

Dalete Mota PhD RN

Maddie Jacobs

2:45 pm – 3:05 pm

Association of Health Literacy with Comprehension of Key New Diagnosis Education Concepts in Parents/Caregivers of Children with Cancer (235-2)

Parents/caregivers of children newly diagnosed with cancer are expected to adequately care for their child at home upon hospital discharge, which entails understanding how to manage medication schedules, recognize key signs and symptoms, and access care emergently (Landier et al., 2016).

Speaker:: Elizabeth Keith BSN RN
Wendy Landier PhD CPNP FAAN

2:55 pm –3:15 pm

Primary Caregivers’ Knowledge Attitudes and Beliefs toward Palliative Care for Children with Cancer (235-3)

Parents of children with cancer perform a myriad of caregiving tasks related to Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) along the illness trajectory. Yet, their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs (KAB) toward PPC remain underexplored, especially in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs) where care relies heavily on the family. A better understanding of parent KAB would inform effective strategies to support the integration of PPC into the care of children with cancer and their families.

The purpose of this two-phase multicenter study among primary caregivers of children with cancer in Lebanon was to examine their KAB toward PPC in order to uncover areas for improvement, to determine factors associated with KAB, and identify primary caregivers’ PPC tasks in caring for their children with cancer.

Speaker:: Joanne Wolfe MD MPH

Ellen M. Lavoie Smith PhD MSN RN AOCN® FAAN

Souha Fares PhD
Rima Saad PhD MSN RN CPHON^®

Huda Abu-Saad Huijer RN PhD FEANS FAAN

Samar Noureddine PhD RN FAHA FAAN

3:30 pm – 4:45 pm

Closing Keynote: Being The Nurse You Want To Be (105)

The pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for nurses that have eroded their well-being and integrity. The consequences include a disorienting reality that has challenged many nurses' identity and purpose. Who are we now? What does it mean to be a nurse in this new reality? This experiential session will explore the ways nursing identity has evolved during the pandemic, explore the gap between where we are and our desired future, and propose strategies for transforming it to reflect the nurse you want to be.

Speaker:: Cynda Rushton, PhD RN