| Spring 2026 Advanced Practice Neonatal Nurses Conference |
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Spring Conference Information
Registration Open
Spring 2026 National Advanced Practice Neonatal Nurses Conference Advanced Practice and Neonatal Tracks Program Schedule 7:00 AM - 1:45 PM - Registration Open 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM - Coffee and Tea Service 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM - Welcome and Hall of Fame Induction 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Zachary R. Kim, DO Dr. Kim and Dr. Cavaco will focus on the historical trauma that Native Hawaiians face and its impact on mental health outcomes. They will also explore mental health disparities affecting Native Hawaiians and highlights initiatives to address Native Hawaiian mental health. 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Speaker TBD 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM - Exhibits Open, Poster Viewing, & Coffee & Tea Service 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Speaker TBD 11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Gregory Valentine, MD, MEd Dr. Valentine will discuss evidence from clinical trials and systematic reviews focused on feeding very preterm newborns. He will discuss enteral fasting, trophic feeds, and when to advance enteral feeds to seek to answer: When should we start feeds? How much should we start with? When do we advance feeds? He will conclude the discussion with future directions and unanswered questions in the field of enteral feeding of very preterm newborns, including discussing pressing questions that need to be answered to continue to move our field forward in providing optimal early nutritional care for vulnerable very preterm newborns. 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Lyndsay D. Long, DO Dr. Long will review emerging evidence on the bioactive properties of maternal breast milk and their influence on preterm infant outcomes. Key topics will include immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), and live cells—components unique to human milk—and how these elements are affected by storage and processing. Particular emphasis will be placed on the comparative benefits of fresh versus previously frozen maternal milk, with attention to current research that informs clinical practice and future directions in neonatal nutrition science. 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM Misty Lilinoe N. Smith, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC 5:00 PM - 8:30 PM - Hilton Hawaiian Luau -Ticket Required
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 7:00 AM - 1:30 PM - Registration Open 7:15 AM - 8:00 AM - Exhibits Open, Poster Viewing, & Coffee & Tea Service 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Christopher Traudt, MD Dr. Traudt will discuss random cases and NICU trivia. These are cases that are discussed at the bedside to teach nurses, students, respiratory therapist, residents, nurse practitioners, and fellows. He will span the gamut of laboratory findings, medications, x-rays, math, and diagnoses. 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM - Exhibits Open, Poster Viewing, & Coffee & Tea Service 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM - Poster Viewing- Visit with Poster Authors! 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM Michael Guindon, MD Neonatal transport is frequently required for movement of patients to a facility with resources that are unavailable at the birthing hospital. While medically necessary, these transfers expose the patient and team members to risks that are not present in other clinical settings. Although resources exist to help transport teams prepare, situations often arise that challenge team dynamics, critical thinking, and communication skills. During this session, several high-acuity transport cases will be reviewed to inform the practice of neonatal transport with applicability to hospital-based team-centered care. 212 - Let's Go Surf! Less Invasive Surfactant Administration Options Miranda Bingle, NNP BC Past surfactant administration could only be performed with traditional endotracheal intubation. Less invasive methods are available, and are well tolerated by infants who are on less invasive respiratory support. 213 - Palliative Care Kandie George, MD 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Multiple Presenters 222 - Podiums Presentations - B Multiple Presenters Gregory Valentine, MD, MEd Dr. Valentine will discuss how fluid intake and weight loss are related to beneficial and adverse health outcomes among very and extremely preterm newborns. He will similarly discuss time to regain birthweight and its subcomponents, and their relationship with long-term developmental outcomes. He will conclude with a discussion on key questions that remain unanswered and the next steps needed to overcome these critical gaps to ensure that we understand how to provide the best nutritional care for vulnerable very preterm newborns in the first two weeks after birth. 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Bryscen Prothero, APRN 232 - High Frequency Jet Ventilation Christopher Traudt, MD Dr. Traudt will discuss the mechanism of ventilation using the jet ventilator. Indications, pitfalls, and management of blood gases will be covered, as well as when to notify staff that there may be a problem. 233 - Retinopathy of Prematurity in Hawaii. Even in Paradise... David Young, MD Mr. Young will discuss retinopathy of prematurity in Hawaii. He will review the disease and describe the experience in Hawaii along with the unique challenges. He will cover current treatments and the impacts that the condition has on patients and families.
Thursday, April 23, 2026
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Registration Open
7:15 AM - 8:00 AM - Exhibits Open, Poster Viewing, & Coffee & Tea Service 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Rutuja Kibe, MD 302 - Non-Invasive Ventilation Not All NIV is Created Equal Danny Rausch, RRT Mr. Rausch will discuss the efficacy of various types of NIV. He will also look at the challenges associated with each type of NIV. 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Jennifer J. Cerdena, PharmD Neonatal sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality... but when cultures are negative, uncertainty drives prolonged and often unnecessary antibiotic exposure. Dr. Cerdena explores the challenges of diagnosing culture-negative sepsis, highlighting data collection tools to guide clinical decision making and optimal treatment duration. She also examine the unintended consequences of antibiotic use in neonates, emphasizing the importance of stewardship in protecting both immediate and long-term outcomes. 312 - It’s the Small Things that Matter Most Patricia Wilhelm, PhD Dr. Wilhelm will review some of the models/practice guidelines that contribute to the body of knowledge related to developmental care. She will identify some of the core concepts, focus on nursing intervention strategies to impact outcomes not only for preterm infants but for any infant that is admitted to the NICU (Level II/III),focus on the family and their role/engagement, and present work that has done here at TAMC with the SENSE Program and how it has changed our parental involvement/engagement. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM - Exhibits Open, Poster Viewing, & Beverage Break 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM - Poster Viewing- Visit with Poster Authors! 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Danny Rausch, RRT Mr. Rausch will discuss several case studies involving high frequency ventilation, including both high frequency oscillation ventilation and jet ventilation. 322 - Protection of Mothers and Babies Against RSV: Past, Present and Future Rodolfo Begue, MD Dr. Begue will review the history of RSV prevention, outline the present status of best-practice recommendations, and discuss the gaps of knowledge and future strategies to come. 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Jennifer J. Cerdena, PharmD 332 - Small Baby Challenges Speaker TBD
Friday, April 24, 2026 7:00 AM - 12:30 PM - Registration Open 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM - Coffee & Tea Service 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Julianne M. Walsh, MA, PhD When it comes to working with Micronesian communities, “cultural competence” often falls short. Many different island groups, each with their own languages, traditions, and values, are too often grouped under one broad label. Dr. Walsh and Dr. Smith introduce a more meaningful approach: cultural humility. Instead of assuming we can fully “master” another culture, cultural humility asks us to reflect on our own biases, stay open to learning, and recognize the rich diversity within Micronesian communities. Together, they will explore how cultural values shape views on authority, family and community decision-making, health and illness, and caregiving, and consider the critical role of language access for positive outcomes. 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM Speaker TBD 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Rachel Prokop, PsyD Nurses face unique challenges that place them at high risk for burnout, including heavy workloads, emotional demands, and systemic pressures. Dr. Prokop will explore the connection between nursing practice, stress, and mental health, highlighting evidence-based approaches to recognize early warning signs of burnout. Participants will learn practical strategies for resilience, self-care, and peer support, as well as organizational practices that foster healthier work environments. Emphasis will be placed on actionable tools that nurses can apply immediately to protect their own well-being while sustaining high-quality patient care. 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM Robert Erick Ridout, MD Dr. Ridout will provide actionable approaches to assess one's ability to influence those they serve as leader and to grow that influence. Everyone can benefit from this discussion: leadership doesn't require a title, just the desire to add value to others, to see them become the full expression of themselves, and to send them home each day safe, valued, and loved. The discussion will include levels of leadership and how one can leverage biology (how we are wired) to enhance teamwork to the benefit of patients, their families, and caregivers. 12:15 PM - 12:30 PM - Closing Remarks
All sessions are Eastern Time. |