Pre-registration is required for all pre-courses. The deadline has been extended to Friday, Oct. 23.
Maximize your attendance by registering for one of these pre-Congress courses. Congress attendees will receive a discount.
If you have already registered for Congress you can add one of the pre-courses at the discounted rate by either:
- Completing the printable registration form and returning it with a note indicating that you are already registered for Congress
- Calling Customer Service at (972) 243-2272.
Available Courses
- Pre-Course #1—Management of Chronic Hypoxemia Across the Continuum of Care
- Pre-Course #2—Adult and Pediatric Mechanical Ventilation
- Pre-Course #3—Vascular Access: Developing an Arterial Catheter Insertion Program
Pre-Course #1—Management of Chronic Hypoxemia Across the Continuum of Care
Course capacity is limited. Pre-registration required. Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2015, or when course is full. Approved for 5.64 hours of continuing education credits (CRCE). You must attend the entire course to receive CRCE credit; no partial credit will be awarded.
Objectives: Acute care hospitals can no longer work in a vacuum. Health care reform, including the Affordable Care Act, now requires hospitals, post-acute care providers and outpatient facilities (home care, pulmonary rehabilitation, medical offices, durable medical equipment providers and home health agencies) to work together for the betterment of patient care. This course will address the scientific foundation and management of chronic hypoxemia and will allow RTs to:
- Describe the different categories, strengths and limitations of oxygen delivery systems
- Implement a patient-centric, collaborative care model to enhance RT management and monitoring of chronic hypoxemia
- Demonstrate ability to collaborate, communicate and coordinate with RTs in these different care settings to maximize clinical and financial outcomes in the management of chronic hypoxemia.
Attend this course to gain a better understanding of the challenges in managing the chronically hypoxic pulmonary patient and in managing that patient across the continuum with other care providers.
8:00 am–8:10 am
Respiratory Care from Hospital to Home: The AARC Comprehensive Post-acute Care Education Program
Thomas J Kallstrom MBA RRT FAARC, Irving TX
Respiratory therapists are important members of the team that prepares and monitors patients and caregivers in post-discharge self-management. It is, therefore, essential for RTs to be knowledgeable about and proficient in all components of oxygen therapy delivery and disease management techniques. Such skills will now be expected across the entire health care continuum from transition through pre-discharge planning to oversight of self-care in the home.
8:15 am–8:50 am
Changing U.S. Health Care Delivery: Teamwork by Different RTs in Different Care Settings
Patrick J Dunne MEd RRT FAARC
The U.S. health care delivery system is changing rapidly, and the RT profession needs to advance its approach to patients presenting with chronic respiratory conditions. Integrated patient-centric respiratory disease management should span all health settings from hospital to home. This presentation will outline opportunities for RTs to collectively and collaboratively improve care of chronic hypoxemia in concert with the newly evolving U.S. health care environment.
8:55 am–9:30 am
Core Competencies Required To Position Home Oxygen Therapy for Success
Kimberly S Wiles RRT CPFT, Ford City PA
The AARC has been evaluating core competencies required for RTs to evaluate the post-acute care respiratory needs of patients as well as those requirements for oversight of self-care in the home. This presentation will address core competencies identified to position home oxygen therapy for success.
9:35 am–10:10 am
Scientific Foundation for Treating Chronic Hypoxemia: Milestones, Marginal Data, and Missing Pieces
Brian W Carlin MD FAARC, Pittsburgh PA
RTs caring for patients with chronic hypoxemia in any care setting must have current understanding of the scientific foundations for that management. Scientific fact must be distinguished from fiction, and what is completely unknown should be recognized as such.
10:15 am–10:50 am
Understanding Oxygen Delivery Systems for the Home
Robert McCoy RRT, Apple Valley MN
There are a variety of delivery systems intended for home oxygen therapy. There are also numerous commercially available models within each equipment category. Performance characteristics vary among devices. In fact, if delivery is by intermittent flow, one oxygen system may perform differently on two individual patients. An approach for selecting the clinically appropriate delivery system to meet specific patient needs will be discussed.
10:50 am–11:05 am
Break
11:05 am–11:40 am
Collaborative Care in Disease Management: Engaging Patients with Chronic Hypoxemia and Meeting Patient Needs
Kent Christopher MD RRT, Denver CO
Jon Tiger , Wichita KS
Optimization of management of chronic hypoxemia can be achieved through a patient collaborative care model. RTs across the continuum must be empowered to engage, assess, educate, instruct, and monitor patient self-management. Effective team communication is essential. The "art" of engaging patients throughout evolving emotional, psychological, and physical needs will be presented.
11:45 am–12:20 pm
The Transition Home: Pensive Planning, Communication, and Follow-through
Brian W Carlin MD FAARC, Pittsburgh PA
Kimberly S Wiles RRT CPFT, Ford City PA
This presentation will discuss transition to the home for patients requiring supplemental oxygen as an integrated, well-planned process with communication between inpatient RTs and RTs involved in the post-discharge care.
12:20 pm–1:45 pm
Lunch
On your own
1:45 pm–3:00 pm
Two Rotating Groups
The audience will be broken up into two groups. The two rotating sessions offer individual attendees a blend of a balanced perspective through hands-on use of devices in different categories and presentation of cases to enhance clinical assessment and decision-making skills.
1:45 pm–2:20 pm
Group 1 - Hands-on Practical Session: Home Oxygen Devices
Kimberly S Wiles RRT CPFT, Ford City PA
Robert McCoy RRT, Apple Valley MN
2:25 pm–3:00 pm
Group 2 - Case Presentations: What Would You Do?
Brian W Carlin MD FAARC, Pittsburgh PA
Kent Christopher MD RRT, Denver CO
Patrick J Dunne MEd RRT FAARC
3:05 pm–3:40 pm
Panel Discussion: Overcoming Obstacles To a "Continuum" Team
3:45 pm–4:00 pm
Closing Comments and Future Directions
Kent Christopher MD RRT
Patrick J Dunne MEd RRT FAARC
Pre-Course #2—Adult and Pediatric Mechanical Ventilation
Course capacity is limited. Pre-registration required. Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2015, or when course is full. Approved for 6.75 hours of continuing education credits (CRCE). You must attend the entire course to receive CRCE credit; no partial credit will be awarded.
Objectives: Although adult and pediatric mechanical ventilation are often discussed in separate arenas, there is much knowledge and experience to be shared between these populations. This course will provide an opportunity for adult and pediatric practitioners to learn from each other in the morning session, while focusing on more refined aspects during separate tracks in the afternoon. Experts in the field of mechanical ventilation will address the following objectives:
- Review various strategies to optimize lung protective ventilation.
- Discuss approaches to optimize lung recruitment.
- Explore the concept of patient-ventilator synchrony and strategies to reduce dyssynchrony.
8:00 am–8:45 am
Lung Protective Ventilation
Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Durham NC
What is lung protective ventilation? What is the experimental and clinical evidence supporting this approach? This presentation will review the available data and propose strategies to optimize lung protective ventilation.
8:50 am–9:35 am
PEEP/Recruitment Maneuvers
Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC
There should be no argument that PEEP is an important part of lung protective ventilation. But how does one select an appropriate level of PEEP? What is the evidence? When and how should recruitment maneuvers be used? Are strategies for adult and pediatric patients similar? This presentation will address these questions and more based on the medical literature.
9:40 am–10:25 am
Is 6 ML/kg Tidal Volume Appropriate for All Patients?
Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Durham NC
It is widely accepted that a tidal volume of 6 mL/kg should be used for all ARDS patients. What about patients who do not have acute lung injury? Can higher tidal volumes be used if the plateau pressure is maintained less than 30 cm H2O? Does the mode of ventilation matter? What about the pediatric patient? These questions and more will be addressed.
10:40 am–11:25 am
Adjunct Approaches To ARDS
Keith D Lamb RRT-ACCS, Des Moines IA
Various ventilator and non-ventilator strategies are used by some clinicians for ARDS - particularly in the setting of refractory hypoxemia. What are the roles, if any, for APRV, HFOV, prone position, and inhaled vasodilators? This presentation will attempt to address the question of whether adjunct therapies improve outcome for ARDS.
11:30 am–12:00 pm
Panel Discussion
Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC
Keith D Lamb RRT-ACCS, Des Moines IA
Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC, Durham NC
Q & A Session
12:00 pm–1:15 pm
Lunch
On your own
1:15 pm–4:40 pm
Adult Track
1:15 pm–2:00 pm
Noninvasive Ventilation
Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC
Noninvasive ventilation has become a standard approach when attempting to avoid intubation and escalation of care in acute respiratory failure. It has also proven successful in the support of chronic respiratory insufficiency, such as obstructive apnea and nocturnal hypoventilation. This presentation will cover the latest evidence pertaining to noninvasive ventilation as well as circumstances where it may be efficacious in other patient populations.
2:05 pm–2:50 pm
Patient-ventilator Synchrony
Keith D Lamb RRT-ACCS, Des Moines IA
Patient-ventilator asynchrony can cause increase in anxiety, sedation, wasted energy, and ventilator time. This presentation will describe the different causes of asynchrony and how the bedside clinician can identify them and address the patients' needs and correct them.
2:50 pm–3:05 pm
Break
3:05 pm–3:50 pm
Cardiorespiratory Interactions
Dean R Hess PhD RRT FAARC, Boston MA
The heart and lungs work in tandem. When one element isn't functioning properly, the other one is negatively affected. At times, this is subtle and other times it manifests as severe failure. This presentation will examine the relationship between the cardiac and respiratory systems and how one can manage the patient in order to minimize these negative influences.
3:55 pm–4:40 pm
Liberation From Mechanical Ventilation
Neil R MacIntyre MD FAARC , Durham NC
Liberation from the ventilator starts as soon as the patient is intubated and is inarguably the most important element of routine ventilator management. This presentation will discuss what we already know about liberation from mechanical ventilation and explore what the future may hold.
1:15 pm–5:00 pm
Pediatric Track
1:15 pm–2:00 pm
Noninvasive Ventilation
Ira M Cheifetz MD FCCM FAARC, Durham NC
Use of noninvasive ventilation in the pediatric population continues to grow as technology and the availability of interfaces increase. However, definitive data are limited. This presentation will discuss the potential benefits and risks of NIV in pediatrics as well as review the pertinent medical literature. Thoughts for the future applications of NIV for infants and children will be offered.
2:05 pm–2:50 pm
Patient-ventilator Synchrony
John S Emberger RRT FAARC, Newark DE
Patient-ventilator asynchrony can have deleterious effects on patients. This presentation will describe the various types of asynchrony as well as approaches to identify them, including a focus on airway graphic analysis. Approaches to eliminate patient-ventilator asynchrony will be offered.
2:50 pm–3:05 pm
Break
3:05 pm–3:50 pm
Cardiorespiratory Interactions
Ira M Cheifetz MD FCCM FAARC, Durham NC
The heart and lungs are obviously anatomically connected, but they are physiologically connected as well. This presentation will review the physiologic principles of cardiorespiratory interactions. Strategies to use mechanical ventilation to optimize the interactions between heart and lung will be discussed.
3:55 pm–4:40 pm
Liberation From Mechanical Ventilation
Alex T Rotta MD FAACP FCCM, Cleveland OH
Although often viewed as more art than science, strategies to liberate a patient from mechanical ventilation are well described in the medical literature. The separation of a patient from mechanical respiratory support is inarguably the most important element of routine ventilator management. This presentation will discuss what we already know about liberation from mechanical ventilation and explore what the future may hold.
4:45 pm–5:00 pm
Panel Discussion
Alex T Rotta MD FAACP FCCM, Cleveland OH
Ira M Cheifetz MD FCCM FAARC, Durham NC
John S Emberger RRT FAARC, Newark DE
Q & A Session
Pre-Course #3—Vascular Access: Developing an Arterial Catheter Insertion Program
Course capacity is limited. Pre-registration required. Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2015, or when course is full.
More information to come on aarc.org
12:30 pm–12:45 pm
Welcome and Introductory Comments
12:45 pm–1:30 pm
Healthcare Reform
Timothy Myers MBA, RRT-NPS, FAARC, Avon OH
Healthcare is on the cusp of a major reform to develop a safe, efficient and economic delivery system that address the continuum of care for patients with both acute and chronic conditions. Opportunities will be available to a multi-skilled healthcare practitioner that can adapt to these changes with a dynamic set of knowledge, skills and attributes.
1:30 pm–2:15 pm
Ultrasound Guided Arterial Catheter Insertion
Keegan Mahoney BS, RRT
Placement of arterial line catheters in critically ill patients is often an arduous task. Identifying potential risk is a key component of the placement process. This lecture will describe best practice ultrasound techniques and review the literature with regard to location of access, complications, and the use of ultrasound guidance.
2:15 pm–2:45 pm
Break
2:45 pm–3:30 pm
Essentials for a Successful Team, Tracking, CQI and Training
Andrew Miller RRT-ACCS, Durham NC
As is true with any invasive catheter placement, arterial catheters impose certain risks and clinical management problems. The need for continuing evaluation of clinical programs and testing of new processes to assure optimal effectiveness and outcomes continues to dominate the agendas of healthcare organizations. This lecture will describe the essential components of training, monitoring and continuous quality improvement.
3:30 pm–4:15 pm
Respiratory Therapists Should Be Placing More Vascular Access Devices
Gregory Schears MD, Rochester MN
Clinical demands will increase the need for highly skilled practitioners faster than the workforce can expand or healthcare reform will allow it to expand. The knowledge and technical skill sets of today's respiratory therapist lend themselves very nicely to this advanced set of skills. This lecture will discuss the role of the respiratory therapist in a vascular access program.
4:15 pm–5:00 pm
Developing a Vascular Access Program
Chuck Ramirez BS RRT, Phoenix AZ
Development of healthcare systems and programs that challenge current assumptions, increase timeliness for services, and decrease costs without compromising quality patient outcomes are keys to navigating healthcare reform. This lecture will describe the key components to launching a vascular access program.