Tuesday, September 10, 2024 

10:15–11:15 am 

Welcome and Keynote Address 

11:30–12:30 pm 

Roadmaps for Care: Understanding Treatment Pathways  
Kristina Gregory, RN, MSN 

Why am I getting this treatment? Why is my friend getting a different chemotherapy? Every day, nurses are faced with questions like these. As we administer these therapies, it is vital that we understand the "why" behind what we give. Discover how treatment algorithms are created and how you can use these guidelines to educate patients and guide clinical decision making. 

Vascular Access: Best Practices, Guidelines, and Troubleshooting 
Mary Malone, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, OCN^®, AOCNS^®, NE-BC  

Learn how to best determine the most appropriate vascular access device for your patients. You’ll also get tips for troubleshooting devices and assessing complications and review the latest updates from ONS and the Infusion Nurses Society. 

Virtual Reality to Manage Anxiety During Treatment  
Brian Minton, MHDS 

Virtual reality is transforming medicine. See how one infusion center is using it to manage anxiety in patients with cancer. 

12:45–1:45 pm 

Interventional Oncology and Liver-Directed Therapies  
Evelyn Wempe, DNP, MBA, APRN, ACNP-BC, AOCNP, NE-BC 
Arais Cavada, MSN, APRN, FNP-BC
  

Interventional oncology offers minimally invasive treatment options to patients with cancer. Learn more about this growing field, specifically percutaneous liver-directed therapies. Overviews of each procedure will be provided, and you’ll discuss patient selection criteria as well as nursing assessments that are required pre and post treatment. 

 

Quality Improvement at the Frontlines  
Susan Bohnenkamp, MS, RN, ACNS-BC, CCM 

Oncology nurses have great ideas. Find out how frontline nurses can engage in quality improvement, put their ideas into practice, and drive meaningful change at their institutions. 

 

Radiation Oncology: Just the Facts  
Kyle Denniston, MD 

Radiation therapy plays an important role in cancer care. Learn more about the types of radiation, its curative versus palliative uses, and how you can improve patient education and symptom management. 

4–5 pm 

Meeting the Needs of Adolescent and Young Adults in Oncology  
Sarah Paul, MSW, LCSW, OSW-C 

AYA patients have unique needs and concerns nurses must be prepared to address. Make sure you have the knowledge necessary to help this growing patient population navigate their diagnosis, treatment, and life beyond cancer. 

 

Navigating the Role of Nurse Navigators  
Danelle Johnston, MSN, RN, OCN^®, HON-ONN-CG 

The nurse navigator role varies greatly depending on their workplace. Who are nurse navigators and what role should they play in managing patients with cancer? Look back on the history of navigation, review its core principles as established through navigation standards, and discover how organizations can make the most of their expertise. 

 

Time Is of the Essence: Managing Metabolic Oncologic Emergencies  
Christina Klein, MSN, RN, OCN^®, CRNI 

Oncology nurses must be able to assess and manage common metabolic oncologic emergencies. Come to this overview of neutropenic fever, DIC, tumor lysis syndrome, and hypercalcemia of malignancy to ensure you’re up to speed.

Thursday, September 12, 2024 

10:15–11:15 am 

Difficult Conversations: Part 1, Practical Approaches   
Julie Resendes, MS, RN, CNE 

For every patient we congratulate for completing therapy, others are sitting in our chairs knowing they’ve exhausted their options for care. What is our role in facilitating difficult conversations? In part one of this session, speakers will address the practical aspects of these conversations, including advanced directives, cultural considerations, and understanding the scope of the nurse. 

 

Don't Miss the Signs: Managing Structural Oncologic Emergencies  
Megha Shah, BSN, RN, OCN^® 

Learn more about structural oncologic emergencies, including their signs and symptoms and the diagnoses most prone to them. Then gain a better understanding of the underlying disease process, which is fundamental to effectively managing them. You’ll leave this session better able to assess and plan for both immediate and long-term interventions for your patients experiencing these distressing complications. 

 

Lab Monitoring 102  
Cynthia Huff, DNP, RN, OCN^®, CRNI, CNL 

Develop a deeper understanding of lab results and treatment parameters and learn how you can effectively educate patients on the importance of lab work, especially related to oral chemotherapy. 

11:30 am–12:30 pm 

Considerations for Bispecific Antibody T-Cell Engager Therapy  
Jeremy Rosiecki, PA 

Bispecific antibodies are rapidly becoming a mainstay in oncology treatments for multiple diseases. Explore some of the unique features of T-cell engager therapy and its toxicities. 

 

Difficult Conversations: Part 2, Navigating Emotional Challenges  
Deborah Christensen, MSN, APRN, AOCNS^®, OCN^® 

Nurses need to not only understand the practical aspects of goals-of-care conversations but also have the skills to approach the emotional challenges associated with them. Dive into this tough topic and learn how you can better gauge when these conversations should be initiated, manage moral dilemmas when patient goals of care differ from clinical understanding, and advocate for your patient's wishes. 

 

Treatment Updates in Acute Leukemia  
Colleen Erb, MSN, CRNP, AOCNP^®, ACNP-BC 

Need the latest on acute leukemia treatments, including prognostic markers, regimen selection, and survivorship considerations? If so, this session is for you. 

12:45–1:45 pm 

Head and Neck Cancer: Managing a Complex Treatment Regimen  
Sydney Schone, APRN, CNP, DNP 

Take a journey with a head and neck cancer patient. Review the concurrent treatment regimen as well as symptom management and care planning. 

 

Mastering the Art of Nursing Telephone Triage for the Cancer Patient  
Kathryn Koehne, DNP, RN-BC, TNP-C 

Care delivered over the phone requires specialized skills and an intentional approach to be effective and safe. To ensure quality care, nurses must recognize this virtual connection as a lifeline for patients and families. Discover evidence-based telehealth practices that will build confidence, increase appreciation, and reduce risk when engaging in telephone triage. 

 

Navigating USP 800 and Best Practices for Safe Handling of Hazardous Agents 
Kerri Dalton, DNP, RN, AOCNS^® 
Susan Mason, MSN, RN, OCN^® 

Understand the USP-800 updates that impact nursing practice and patient safety, including ones related to safe handling, the correct use of PPE, closed-system transfer devices, and more.  

4–5 pm 

Closing Address