The Army Nurse Corps Association has reunion-type conventions every other year, in even-numbered years, with programs characterized by the motto, Connect * Learn * Build. These gatherings honor all that our association values: opportunities for social interaction and networking; first-class continuing education from highly sought-after speakers; bringing different services, components and Department of Veterans Affairs nurses together; and specialty sessions in such areas as research and education.
We welcome with open arms all active, retired, and former members of all components of the Army Nurse Corps to join ANCA if they have not already, and come with us as we meet for reminiscence, fellowship, continuing education, networking, and oh, yes, a little organizational business, every two years at different places around the United States. If you're a present or former Army Nurse Corps officer and interested in joining us at our conventions, check our Membership page for eligibility information.
This year's biennial ANCA Convention will be held 11-14 October at the DoubleTree by Hilton Airport hotel in San Antonio. We will be celebrating our Connecting Generations of Army Nurses! theme, as well as recognizing San Antonio's SA300 Tricentennial celebration. Our convention team is working hard on the program and arrangements for the event, plus some optional activities for the Thursday before for those who are interested. Below is an outline of the events scheduled, and the details about the continuing education program and poster showcase we have lined up. If you have questions, ask via our Contact Us page, Department Routing: Convention.
Registration for the convention is now open. To view the detailed schedule of events and to register, visit our Registration page. When you register, you can set up a temporary account which will enable you to review your registration and make changes later if necessary. If you have already registered but did not set up an account at that time, you can do that now on the Account Manager page.
Thursday 11 October
Optional Morning and Afternoon Tours WRAIN Reception
Friday 12 October
Exhibits and Poster Showcase open Conference Kickoff and Welcome The first two of seven hours of available continuing education presentations Luncheon, MG (Ret.) Jimmie Keenan tentatively scheduled as speaker Evening Welcome Reception
Saturday 13 October
General Session and Business Meeting Three hours of CE Religious Services available Evening Cocktail Reception Banquet, MG Barbara Holcomb tentatively scheduled as speaker
Sunday 14 October
Regional Breakout Meetings Two more hours of CE presentations Remembrance ceremony for members who have passed Lunch, MG Mary Link tentatively scheduled as speaker Closing Session and Installation of Officers Adjournment around 1400
For the detailed agenda, see the Registration Page.
These continuing nursing education activities were approved by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. ANCC Accredited Approver number A0012 (60 minute contact hour).
What We Know About the Treatment of Combat-Related PTSD: Summary of Findings from STRONG STAR PTSD Research Consortium Studies
A description of PTSD and an overview of a consortium of studies conducted to treat combat-related PTSD.
A Transformative Transition into Nursing Academia
Military nurses are innovative and agile within complex health systems and skilled in communication, leadership, and teamwork with extensive clinical proficiencies. These skills are excellent resources for guiding future generations of student nurses within tomorrow’s health environment.
Creating a Just Culture: My Voice Matters
A program offered by the VA National Center for Patient Safety, My Voice Matters aims to generate the cultural shifts needed for an organization to: a) create and sustain a safe culture; b) instill high-reliability practices; and c) improve clinical outcomes.
The Bright Adventure of Army Nursing
A discussion of the Army’s recruitment and utilization of nurses during the Vietnam War, with emphasis on the ways Army policies affected the experiences of the women and men who served. Also included are some brief comparisons to nurses’ experiences in the later wars.
Research Participant Recruitment
The panel will describe the importance of intentional planning for participant recruitment as a vital step to study completion; the difficulties encountered in, and strategies to achieve recruitment of adequate numbers of research participants; the importance of, and challenges with including service members as research participants; and ways to enhance participant retention in studies.
COL-R (AN)Darlene Gilcreast, RN, PhD COL-R (AN) Stacey Young-McCaughan, RN, PhD Lt.Col.-R (USAF-NC) Joseph Schmelz, RN, PhD MAJ Patricia Schmidt (AN), RN, PhD Katie A. Chargualaf, RN, PhD
Not Forgetting to Remember: The Importance of our Historical Heritage
Highlighting the importance of recognizing, acknowledging, and understanding the importance of knowing one’s personal and professional history so that it is incorporated and integrated in the person or the profession. This knowledge can enable the person or profession to move forward in addressing current life and/or professional challenges.
Snapshot: ANCA Research & EBP Grant Recipients in Their Own Words
The panelists have all received ANCA grants for their research or EBP work. Each will describe their projects and relevance to military nursing. Each will identify lessons they have learned in writing a grant proposal and implementing the seed grant.
LTC (AN) Andrea Fuller, RN, DNP LTC-R (AN) James Cleveland, RN, MSN MAJ (AN) Patricia Schmidt, RN, PhD CPT (AN) Sabas Salgado, RN, MBA-HM
We have arranged three interesting, informative, and enjoyable optional tours on Thursday 11 October, the day before the official start of the convention, for those who wish to arrive a day early and take advantage of them. You can sign up for them along with the convention itself on the Registration page.
Option 1: Wine Country tour and LBJ Mansion Visit 0900 - 1630 ($125.00)
Enjoy a fun-filled day full of Texas history and wine, along with your knowledgeable wine tour guides from Cottonwood Wine Tours. Guests will enjoy a visit to the Lyndon B. Johnson Ranch and take a tour of his hill country home. We will then proceed to enjoy wine tastings at William Chris Vineyards and 4.0 Cellars. All three locations are situated on "Wine Road 290", the heart of the Texas Hill Country wine trail. While at William Chris Vineyards, guests will enjoy a box lunch in their outdoor pavilion. Tour includes transportation, LBJ Ranch tour, all wine tasting fees, and box lunch. Tour limited to 35 guests.
Option 2: Food Enthusiasts Demo Class at the Culinary Institute of America 1330 - 1630 ($90.00)
Come to San Antonio campus of The Culinary Institute of America and see what all the excitement is about! You'll watch a culinary demonstration by CIA trained chef-instructors and enjoy tastings of the items prepared. These customized demos allow you to gain the knowledge from the best practices and techniques of experienced CIA chefs. Featured dishes highlight seasonal favorites from across the globe. The recipes presented are tried and true and will have you coming back again and again! Cost includes demo, tastings, facility tour and roundtrip transportation from the DoubleTree San Antonio Airport.
Option 3: A Visit to the AMEDD Museum 1330 - 1630 ($15.00)
Take some time to tour the recently renovated Army Medical Department Museum. The Director has made many additions and improvements and is excited to give ANCA members a first hand look at some rare memorabilia.
Today the AMEDD Museum campus occupies 7 acres of grounds, including the main museum building, a covered, restored hospital train car, and two pergolas, one containing modern wheeled ambulances and one containing helicopters. A Medal of Honor Walk recognizes the 50 Medal of Honor recipients from the U.S. Army Medical Department, winding through the museum grounds and leading to a 250-seat outdoor amphitheater. The galleries and outdoor exhibit areas tell the 200-plus year history of the U S Army Medical Department, in war and peace, emphasizing subjects such as battlefield medicine, the chain of patient evacuation, the evolution of the eight corps that compose the Army Medical Department and the evolution of equipment, medical care and treatment from 1775 to the present day.
Entrance into the museum is complementary. Cost includes roundtrip transportation from the DoubleTree to the museum.
Questions? Ask via our Contact Us page, Department Routing: Convention.