Post Annual Meeting Thoughts
Aug 20, 2013, 01:00 AM
Our bloggers have shared with you their reactions to the 2013 Annual Meeting and Virtual Meeting. Here are some of their final thoughts about the meeting:
Amy Campbell, RD, CDE
I'm thankful to have participated in another Virtual Meeting from home this year. I was really pleased with the variety of topics available and how several different specialty areas were featured. I’ve been able to participate in several of them already, but the neat thing about the Virtual Meeting is that they are available online for up to a year. So I can take my time watching all of them and fit them into my schedule. There were a few ‘chat’ or networking areas in the Virtual Meeting, but it doesn’t even come close to the networking you can have from actually attending the Annual Meeting live. I also missed the experience of the exhibit floor. It was always a highlight for me to see new products and demonstrations. Overall, it was great to have so many continuing education hours from the comfort of my home!
Jennifer Clements, PharmD, BCPS, CDE
I have been a member of several pharmacy organizations and have attended many pharmacy meetings. If I was not able to attend a pharmacy meeting, then I felt “left out” on the latest information from amazing general sessions and great breakout sessions on important topics. That wasn't the case with AADE. I was able to be a part of AADE13. I was very pleased with the Virtual Meeting, especially the quick availability of the recordings with the general and breakout sessions. In addition, the recordings were flawless and I had fast access to all the handouts from the selected list. While there were only ten breakout sessions through the Virtual Meeting, all of these topics are relevant to any diabetes educator. After attending the virtual meeting, I feel re-energized about clinical practice and I am excited to share new information with my medical providers and nurses. I am looking forward to the AADE14 meeting in Orlando. Who knows…I may even submit a presentation for next year’s meeting. I hope everyone learned some valuable information from either the live or virtual meeting. Kudos to AADE!!!
Carla Cox, PhD, RD, CSSD, CDE
I’ll soon step onto the plane that will take me back to my diabetes work in Montana. I have some new ideas to try in the inpatient setting and am excited to work on some data collection to help prove the worth of the diabetes educator in the hospital setting. I enjoyed spending time with colleagues and networking at a variety of breakfast meetings. After getting up at 4:30 a.m this morning for the annual “fun run," I cannot say I feel rested. But, I did take a few hours this afternoon to sightsee with a friend, and enjoyed once again seeing the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and reviewing some of our Nation’s history. If you feel you missed some educational opportunities, the presentations are available are available through the Virtual Meeting site. Hope you decide to join us next year in Florida!
Karen Kemmis, PT, DPT, MS, CDE
I looked forward to AADE13 for months. This year’s meeting was all that I had hoped for and more! The general session speakers were just wonderful! The breakout sessions offered so many options with a variety of topics and levels of expertise. Patti Geil and the Annual Meeting Planning Committee put together a great program; Nadine Uplinger and the Host Committee opened their city/state and their arms to us. But, what I enjoyed most was being with so many passionate diabetes educators. I have been able to go to the Annual Meeting for the past several years, and had the opportunity to meet so many people in AADE through this and other activities, so I was constantly seeing people I knew. It was like a reunion. Plus, I got to meet more new people this year. For example, I met Lisa who sat at our table at the Leadership/New Members’ breakfast. Two mornings later, we are side by side in the AADE 5K! I expect our paths will cross again in the future. The excitement and energy of the others at the meeting was palpable. The vendors couldn’t say enough about us in the exhibit hall. The networking events were so much fun. I have already started putting new knowledge to work, as I saw patients since my return. I always come back from annual meeting with such enthusiasm, transferred from others at the meeting. I don’t want to wish time away, but I am so looking forward to AADE14 in Orlando. I also look forward to interactions, some in person, but more on MY AADE NETWORK, with other diabetes educators throughout the year. We are such a remarkable group of healthcare professionals/people!
Barbara Walz, RN, BSN, CDE
Hopefully you have returned home energized, enthused, encouraged, and empowered. Now, it is time to put what we have learned into practice. Try to set aside some time to read over the notes, pull out the brochures and handouts from the exhibit hall, and review the “To Do” lists we all jotted down in the margins. I plan to have a “lunch and learn” with my colleagues who were unable to participate so that I can share some of the new found knowledge and skills. I also want to discuss and brainstorm with them how we can incorporate this information into our daily routines to improve the classes and services we provide for our patients. In thinking about "The Point of Possible," our next step is to incorporate this information to make it possible for our patients to truly manage their diabetes and improve their quality of life.