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CLINICAL EXCELLENCE & LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2023

FUTURE OF NURSING: INNOVATE AND ADAPT

Friday, October 6, 2023 ~ 1:00 PM -10:00 PM CST
Saturday, October 7, 2023 ~ 7:00 AM-10:30 PM CST
Waterford Banquets and Clarion Inn Hotel
933 S Riverside Dr, Elmhurst, IL – 60126

From the desk of the President

The National Association of Indian Nurses of America (NAINA) invites you to attend the highly anticipated Clinical Excellence and Leadership Conference in Chicago October 6-7, 2023, themed “Future of Nursing- Innovate and Adapt, Evolve, Empower and Embrace.” Our theme encapsulates the essence of our purpose and the challenges we face in an ever-changing healthcare landscape. In this constantly evolving environment, it is essential for us to adapt and stay abreast of the latest knowledge, technologies, and best practices. This conference is designed to provide you with the necessary tools and insights to navigate this dynamic environment effectively and ensure your professional growth and success.

Throughout this event, we have curated an engaging lineup of renowned speakers, industry experts, and thought leaders who will share their wisdom, experiences, and strategies for achieving clinical excellence and effective leadership. Their insights and expertise will inspire and empower us to embrace new ideas, advance our knowledge, enhance our careers and lead with integrity and compassion. Moreover, this conference provides an invaluable opportunity for networking and collaboration.

As the president of this esteemed nursing organization, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each one of you for your unwavering commitment to nursing and the difference you make in the lives of patients every day. I encourage you to attend, actively participate, engage in discussions, and embrace this opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Sincerely,
Suja Thomas, AGPCNP-BC, MSN. Ed., RN, CWCN, CCCN, COCN

OUR SPONSORS

PLATNINUM SPONSORS

TITANINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

Purpose:

Participants assimilate various innovative practices and resources being used to transform from healthcare environment.

Outcomes:

65% of participants will report that each session provides information that enhances, validates, or causes a change in practice.

Who should attend:

Acute & Long-term care Nurses, Clinical Nurses, APRNs, Hospital Administrators, Directors of Nursing, Nurse Managers & Nursing Students

Contact Hours:

To acquire the contact hours, registration for the conference, attestation of attendance, and completion of the online evaluation by November 10th, 2023, are required.

None of the planners or speakers at this conference have relevant financial relationship(s) to disclose with ineligible companies.

Click here to see conference brochure

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Rachel E. Start
MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Associate Vice President,
Rush University Medical Center

BIO

Beena Peters
DNP, RN, FACHE, FABC
Chief Nurse Executive,
Nursing Administration, Cook County Health System

BIO

SPEAKERS

Michael Walsh
MD
Chief of Neurosurgery, Northwestern Medicine, Professor Northwestern University

BIO

Merri Lazenby
RN, MSN, MBA
Director, Human Resources
Northwestern Medicine

BIO

James Doelling
MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
CEO, Medical Center Director,
Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital

BIO

M. Prakasamma
PhD, RN, RM, RPHN
Visiting Professor, JNU, New Delhi
Advisor, Government of India,
(AGCA, NHRC, NHM), Advisor, WHO

BIO

Kate Judge
BA
Executive Director,
American Nurses Foundation

BIO

Amy McCarthy
DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC
Director of Nursing, Texas Health HEB,
President-Elect, Texas Nurses Association

BIO

Conference Countdown

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SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 6TH

12:00- 1:30 PM
Registration/ Visit Vendors

1:30- 1:35 PM
Welcome Message
Suja Thomas, AGPCNP-BC, MSN. Ed., RN, CWCN, CCCN, COCN
NAINA President

1:35 - 1:40
Conference Overview
Uma Venugopal, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
NAINA Secretary & National Convener
Rani Kappen, MSN, MBA, RN-BC, CPHQ
INAI - President & Chapter Convener

1:40 - 1:45 
ANCC Statement
Sandra Emmanuel, MA, RN, NPD-BC
NAINA Vice President

1:45 - 2:30 PM
Keynote Speech: Professional Governance: Mobilizing Power Given to Transform Health and Value
Rachel E. Start, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Associate Vice President, Rush University Medical Center

2:30 - 3:15 PM
Overcoming Fears and Dealing with Imposter Syndrome: Panel Discussion
Sam Merchant, MBA, BSN, RN, CENP, NE-BC CCRN-K, CV- BC, GERO-BC, MEDSURG-BC
Jackie Michael, PhD, APRN, WHNP-BC, PMHNP-BC
Sara Gabriel, MSN, MBA, RN
Munira Wells, Ph,D., RN 
Sara Ipe, MSN, RN

3:15 - 3:45 PM
The Foundation's Reimagining Nursing Initiative
Kate Judge, BA
Executive Director, American Nurses Foundation

3:45 - 4:15 PM
Leadership for Quality and Equity in Nursing
M. Prakasamma, Ph.D., RN, RM, RPHN
Visiting Professor, JNU, New Delhi, Advisor, Goverment of India, (AGCA, NHRC, NHM) Advisor, WHO

4:15 -4:45 PM
Break/ Visit Vendors

4:45 - 5:15 PM
Project First Line: Call for Action
Suja Thomas, AGPCNP-BC, MSN. Ed., RN, CWCN, CCCN, COCN  
Nisha Mathew, PhD, MSN, RN
Lydia Albuquerque, DNP, RN, ACNP-BC, CCRN, FNAP, FAAN 
Anne Luckose, PhD, FPA-APRN, ANP-C

5:15 - 6:00 PM
General Assembly

6:00 - 7:00 PM
Break/ Visit Vendors Networking Night and Dinner

7:00 - 9:00 PM
Networking Night and Dinner

SATURDAY - OCTOBER 7TH

7:00 - 7:45 AM
Breakfast/ Registration/ Visit Vendors

7:45 - 7:55 AM
Welcome Message
Uma Venugopal, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
NAINA Secretary & National Convener
Rani Kappen, MSN, MBA, RN-BC, CPHQ
INAI President & Chapter Convener,
Simi Joseph, DNP, FPA-APRN, ANP, NP-C, NEA-BC
NAINA APN Chair

7:55 - 8:00 AM
ANCC Statement
Sandra Emmanuel, MA, RN, NPD-BC
NAINA Vice President

8:00 - 8:10 AM
Opening Remarks
Suja Thomas, AGPCNP-BC, MSN. Ed., RN, CWCN, CCCN, COCN
NAINA President

8:10 - 9:00 AM
Keynote Speech: Post-pandemic Healthcare Delivery Innovation and Trajectory- Role of Nursing to Collaborate and Lead the Transformation
Beena Peters, DNP, RN, FACHE, FABC
Chief Nurse Executive, Nursing Administration, Cook County Health System

9:00 - 9:45 AM
The Power of Mentorship: Empowering Nurses to be Change Agents in Healthcare
Amy McCarthy, DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC
Director of Nursing, Texas Health HEB, President, Texas Nurses Association (TNA)

9:45 - 10:15 AM
Break/ Visit Vendors

9:45 - 10:15 AM
Leveraging Technology to Improve Patient Outcomes
Dr. Michael Walsh, MD
Chief of Neurosurgery, Northwestern Medicine Professor Northwestern University

10:15 - 11:00 AM
Nursing Staffing: Rebuilding the Post Pandemic Team
Merri Lazenby, RN, MSN, MBA
Director, Human Resources Northwestern Medicine

11:30 - 12:15 PM
Unconscious Bias- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Panel Discussion
Sandra Emmanuel, MA, RN, NPD-BC
Aney Abraham, DNP, RN, NE-BC 
Simi Joseph, DNP, FPA-APRN, ANP, NP-C, NEA-BC 
Beulah Shibu, MSN, RN

12:15 - 12:45 PM
Nurse Graduate Residency Program-A Solution to Nursing Shortage
James Doelling, MS, BSN, RN, NEA-BC
CEO/Medical Center Director at Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital

12:45 - 1:30 PM
Lunch/ Visit Vendors

1:30 - 4:30 PM
Breakout Sessions: Podium Presentations (see separate schedule)

4:30 - 5:00 PM
Closing
Uma Venugopal, MSN, RN, CCRN-K
NAINA Secretary & National Convener
Missam Merchant, MBA, BSN, RN, CENP, NE-BC, CCRN-K, CV-BC, GERO-BC, MEDSURG-BC
NAINA Communications Chair

5:00 - 7:00 PM
Visit Vendors

7:00 - 10:00 PM
Gala Night and Dinner

BREAKOUT ROOMS AT A GLANCE

BREAKOUT ROOM: 1

1:30 - 2:00 PM
How are we Treating Urinary Tract Infections in the Nursing Home?
Harkirat Bal, DNP, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC

2:00 - 2:30 PM
Anticipatory Loss in Parents with Aging Children with Autism
“Who will love them when I am gone"?
Munira Wells, Ph.D., RN

2:30 - 3:00 PM
Mental Health and Service Utilization Among Asian-Indians in the United States
Rose Mary Xavier, Ph.D., MS, RN, PMHNP-BC, FAAN

3:00 - 3:15 PM
Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM
Birth of AMHI- An Innovative Community-based, Nurse-led Youth-run Mental Health Initiative
Lakshmi Nair, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Elizabeth Sunil Sam, MSN, APRN, FNP-C
Mary Biju, MSN, FNP-C, CMSRN, RN 
Jolly Thomas, APRN, FNP-C, MSN-Ed, PCCN

3:45 - 4:15 PM
Transforming Healthcare: The Power of Clinical Informatics
Jincy Anthony, MSN, MBA

BREAKOUT ROOM: 2

1:30 - 2:00 PM
Recharge: Don't Burn Out
Susan Edamala, MSN, RN, CCRN, CCDS

2:00 - 2:30 PM
Leveraging Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council for a Structured Mentorship Program: A pilot Study Engaging Nurses
Fatima Arastu, DNP, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, CNEn, Caritas Coach

2:30 - 3:00 PM
Leadership Blind spots: Unveiling Hidden Barriers to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Shijy Alex, MSN, MBA, RN

3:00 - 3:15 PM
Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM
Culturing Healthy Work Environment Through Asian American Pacific Islander Employee Engagement: A DEIB Success Story
Pressanna Parackal, DNP, RN, CCRN, CNRN, RN-BC, CRRN

3:45 - 4:15 PM
Safety, Equity, and Harmony for Asian American and Pacific Islanders
Anna George, Ph.D., MSN, APRN, RN, FNP-C
Ani Jacob, DNP, ANP-BC 
Paul Panakal, MSN-BC, RN

BREAKOUT ROOM: 3

1:30 - 2:00 PM
Qualitative Research “A Naturalistic Inquiry for Nurse Researchers"
Doncy Eapen, Ph.D., MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

2:00 - 2:30 PM
A Quantitative Study on Cultural Competency of Nursing Faculty Teaching in Baccalaureate Nursing Programs in the State of Illinois
Beena Vallikalam, EdD, MBA, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC

2:30 - 3:00 PM
A Mixed Methods Approach to Cultural Competence, Health Disparity Knowledge, and South Asian Cultural Knowledge Among Nursing Professionals
Nisha Mathews, Ph.D., MSN, RN

3:00 - 3:15 PM
Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM
Effects of COVID-19 on the Working Women Walking Program
Manju Daniel, Ph.D., MSN, APRN, FNP-BC

3:45 - 4:15 PM
Nursing Leadership in Healthcare Systems
Biju Ittan, MSN, RN, CCM
Anila Sandeep, BSN, RN
Shoba Mathew, BSN, RN 
Reena Saju, MSN, RN-BC, CHAM

BREAKOUT ROOM: 4

1:30 - 2:00 PM
Telehealth Mental Health: A Future Treatment Option for Medication Management, Therapy and Crisis Intervention
Benoy George, DNP, M.Phil., APN, PMHNP, LCPC

2:00 - 2:30 PM
Live. Laugh. Botox: Innovations and Standards of Practice in Aesthetic Nursing
Navil Lozano, MSN, RN

2:30 - 3:00 PM
Innovate and Adapt: Changing the Landscape in Pacing from Conduction System to Leadless Pacing
Deepthy Varghese,  AGACNP-BC, MSN, FNP-C

3:00 - 3:15 PM
Break

3:15 - 3:45 PM
Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms in Dementia
Tessy Kadavil, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

3:45 - 4:15 PM
Effectiveness of Diabetic Risk Reduction Package on Knowledge, lifestyle and Biophysiological measures among the pre-diabetic employees in selected institutions of Tiruvallur District, India
Aswathi Kalarickal Varghese, Ph.D.(N)

NAINA hosts a Clinical Excellence and Leadership Conference that showcases motivational speakers and content experts on a variety of topics of interest to nurses and nursing. During this conference, attendees have multiple opportunities to connect face to face with peers, and to meet nurse leaders and decision makers on a national platform.

Our primary purpose is to provide educational and networking opportunities for all. In addition, the conference presents Indian nurses with an avenue to disseminate their scholarly research and share their clinical expertise on a national stage. We strongly encourage our nurses to develop their presentation skills and bolster their CVs by submitting an abstract for podium and poster presentations.We expect more than 300 attendees from across the US at our Clinical Excellence & Leadership Conference.  There are several opportunities for supporting this event.  You can be an event sponsor, advertise in our special souvenir (released just for this event), or host a vendor booth on site during the conference.

If you have any questions, please email us at: nainaconferences@gmail.com

Directions

Contact Hours

NAINA is an ANCC accredited provider for continuing professional development.  Attendees will receive contact hours for attending our Clinical Excellence & Leadership Conference.

Networking

This is a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with national leaders, educators and expert clinicians.

Business Opportunities

The NAINA conference provides a convenient venue to meet with health care administrators and healthcare leadership from around the nation.

CONFERENCE CONVENERS

Umamaheswari Venugopal
MSN, RN, CCRN-K
Secretary – National Convener
Rani Kappen
RN-BC, MSN, MBA, CPHQ
INAI Chapter President – Hosting Chapter Convener

PAST CONFERENCES

Rachel E. Start
MSN, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN

Rachel Start is Associate Vice President of Medicine, Behavioral and Emergency Services at Rush University Medical Center. She has presented and published extensively on the role and value of the nurse in ambulatory and professional governance.  She is currently the president of the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing and Faculty of the American Organization of Nurse Leaders Professional Governance Conference.  She is a PHD student at Loyola University working to understand relationships between structure, process and outcome indicators in Primary Care. In 2020 she was inducted as a fellow into the Academy of Nursing for her contribution to the development of nurse sensitive indicators in ambulatory and her empowerment of the profession as a whole.

Beena Peters 
DNP, RN, FACHE, FABC

Dr. Beena Peters currently serves as the System Chief Nursing Executive for the Cook County Health System (CCH). Dr. Peters joined in October 2018 as the CNO and transitioned to the CNE role in 2021. Dr. Peters is accountable for nursing practice across Cook County Health System.

As the CNE, Dr. Peters has made quality of care and patient safety priorities of her leadership, with the aim of achieving zero harms to patients and staff. Under Dr. Peters’ leadership, CCH received a $2.1M grant for Nurse Practitioner Workforce Development and a $2.1M training grant to train Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE).

Prior to joining Cook County Health, Dr. Peters held various nursing leadership positions at the University of Illinois Hospital and Clinics. She holds a Doctorate of Nursing Practice and Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Illinois Chicago and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Christian Medical College, Vellore, India. She is a highly accomplished nursing leader with vast experience in quality management, service excellence, patient throughput, staff recruitment and retention, and regulatory affairs. She has served as a mentor and preceptor to numerous graduate nursing and health administration students and nursing leaders throughout her career.

Dr. Peters is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, UIC CON Alumni association board member, served as the board member of Advocate South Asian Cardiac Center. Throughout her career, Dr.

Peters has been involved in many community organizations and is the former President of Knanaya Catholic Women’s Forum of North America

(KCWFNA) and the founding president for the Indian Nursing Association of Illinois.

Michael Walsh
MD

Dr. Michael Walsh is a board-certified neurosurgeon and a member of the faculty of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery, where he currently serves as the Chief of Neurosurgery for the Northwestern Medicine North and Northwest regions.  He graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and attended Indiana University School of Medicine.  Following his general surgery internship at The Ohio State University, he completed his residency in neurosurgery at the University of Vermont.  He then completed a Skull Base tumor/vascular fellowship at the University of Utah in 2009 as well as undergoing additional neurosurgery training in Japan. He specializes in surgical diseases of the brain and spine.  His research interests include 3D animation, virtual/augmented reality, 3D printing, and their uses in teaching both patients and medical students. He has a strong passion for patient education and cofounded Brainsprout Media, a 3D animation company dedicated to using cutting edge storytelling tools to improve communication between healthcare providers and patients. He has been married to his wife, Lisa, for 25 years, with whom he has four children, ranging in age from 13-25.

Merri Lazenby
RN, MSN, MBA

Merri Lazenby has over 30 years of diverse and progressive healthcare experience and leadership. Merri has held roles as a nursing assistant, critical care and emergency department staff nurse, educator and engagement coach – relentlessly pursuing exceptional outcomes and experiences for patients, families, staff members and physicians. She currently serves the Patients First mission at Northwestern Medicine as the Director of Human Resources, leading the Engagement Coaching and HR Business Partner Teams in the North and Northwest Regions of the Northwestern Medicine Network.

Merri is married to a retired firefighter/paramedic and has three amazing children.

James Doelling
MS, BSN, NE-BC

James Doelling was appointed as Hines VA Hospital Director in March 2020 and oversees the delivery of healthcare to more than 46,000 Veterans living in the surrounding 10-county area of Illinois and is responsible for an operating budget of over $800 million and a workforce of approximately 4,400 employees.  He also served as the Medical Center Director at the Battle Creek VA Medical Center. He led, managed, and directed the planning and evaluation of healthcare services, as well as administrative and supporting operations for the medical center in the western part of Michigan, covering a 22-county geographic area with approximately 45,000 enrolled Veterans. He has more than 30 years of healthcare experience and nearly 20 years with VA. He has held a series of Nursing leadership roles at the VAMC in Providence, Rhode Island, Boston Health Care System and Hines VA Hospital before being named Associate Director, PCS/Nurse Executive in Los Angeles, where he served for three years. He has a Master of Science degree in Organizational Management from Springfield College in Boston, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh. He serves as the Chairperson for the VHA Senior Executive Orientation Program.  He is the Chairperson for the VISN 12 HRO Committee and Chairperson of the VISN 12 Veteran Experience sub-Committee.

M. Prakasamma
Ph.D., RN, RM, RPHN

Dr. Prakasamma is a public health professional with a Ph.D. in Social Medicine and Community Health from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi and advanced studies in International Health and Epidemiology from Harvard School of Public Health. She started her career as a nurse in 1976 and also studied English literature, journalism and editing. 

She founded ANSWERS (Academy for Nursing Studies and Women’s Empowerment Research Studies) in 1991 for training, research, advocacy and capacity building on public health and gender related issues. She has undertaken studies and interventions through GoI, state governments and international agencies for restructuring and strengthening nursing education and service. She conducted capacity building programmes for all categories of health workers on caring, teaching, communicating, leadership and research. She has been advocating for quality and equity, in health services and among health professionals, and the creation of cadres of clinical specialist nurses and midwives.

Dr. Prakasamma has been advocating for women’s right to safe birthing ever since her first research into maternal deaths in 1995.She launched the Society of Midwives (SOMI) to advocate for introducing midwifery as a profession in India. She spear-headed the Normal Birth Campaign in India in 2018. She has been advisor to GOI, WHO, other National and International agencies and state governments on public health, nursing, midwifery, gender and reproductive health issues. She wrote, compiled and edited journals, modules and books on and about health, gender, nursing and midwifery. At present she conducts workshops on “Critical Thinking and Scientific Writing”. She is a member of the AGCA (Advisory Group on Community Action), as part of Indian Government’s National Health Mission.

Kate Judge 
BA

Kate Judge has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the areas of healthcare and non-profit communication, resource generation and management. Her work has supported large and small organizations in education, healthcare, and human service within the United States and abroad.

She became the Executive Director of the American Nurses Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association and American Nurses Credentialing Center, in 2012 to lead its expansion. The Foundation, one of the first to invest in nursing research, now has a diverse program portfolio focusing on the health of nurses and the impact on patients, leadership development, health policy, and elevating the image of nurses. As Executive Director, she helped launch the national Nurses on Boards Coalition in 2015, the national Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation campaign in 2016 and the Reimagining Nursing Initiative in 2021. She also served as Executive Producer for Defining Hope, a 2017 documentary about end of life and the unique expertise of nurses.

Prior to leading the Foundation, she served as Assistant Dean at both University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing and School of Veterinary Medicine. She has also directed development and communications at the American Red Cross in Southeastern Pennsylvania and affiliate/national fundraising at the national Red Cross organization in DC. Her community philanthropic leadership includes serving as Board President, Treasurer and director for Mishkan Shalom in Philadelphia and a board member for St. Vincent’s Face-To-Face, a Philadelphia community service organization. She lives in Philadelphia, PA.

Amy M. McCarthy
DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC

Amy K. McCarthy, DNP, RNC-MNN, NE-BC currently serves as the Director of Nursing over Women, Infants and Oncology at Texas Health Hurst-Euless-Bedford. She recently completed her DNP at George Washington University with a focus on Executive Leadership.

McCarthy believes in the importance of using transformational, heart-led leadership to inspire and motivate nurses to build cultures of innovation and wellness within their workspace. Over the past decade, McCarthy has had the opportunity to work collaboratively with state and national leaders on strategies
to accomplish nursing initiatives, which continuously inspires and invigorates her efforts to improve outcomes for the public and employees she serves at the bedside and in leadership. She currently serves as Director-at- Large on the Board of Directors of the American Nurses Association and President-Elect of the Texas Nurses Association.

McCarthy has also worked with the National League of Nursing, serving on the advisory board of the Accelerating to Practice program, assisting in the creation of a new curriculum and residency program that focused on a new graduate’s entry into the workforce. She also recently served as the Texas Action Coalition representative to the Nurses on Boards Coalition and was Co-Chair of the Communications Work Group, assisting with aligning coalition’s marketing resources to fit graphic standards, collaborating on national campaigns, as well as making recommendations concerning communication and public relations needs of the organization to ensure that coalition goals were met. McCarthy also served as Secretary of the Texas Nurses Association from 2019 – 2021 and helped to bring a younger voice to the board, strengthening relationships with the Texas Nursing Students Association and creating a podcast focused on highlighting the innovative spirit of nurses across the state.

McCarthy holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Biology from Southern Methodist University, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Masters of Science in Nursing Administration from the University of Texas in Arlington. She also holds a Nurse Executive certification as well as a certification in Maternal – Newborn Nursing.