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University at Sea®

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St. Petersburg, FL 33703

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Cruise Conference Planning For Your Association

Nursing Topics in Rheumatology, Orthopedics, and Mental Health

5-Night Bermuda Cruise
Round-trip Cape Liberty, NJ (New York, NY)
June 29 - July 04, 2024
Royal Caribbean's <em>Liberty of the Seas</em>
Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas
Contact Hours
14.0 Contact Hours
Course Fees
$595 for Nurses
$795 for Nurse Practitioners

Target Audience
Nurses, Nurse Practitioners
Program Purpose / Objectives
  1. Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology of Bone Healing
    • Identify various components of musculoskeletal anatomy.
    • Explain the mechanism of bone and fracture healing.
  2. Bone Health / Fracture Prevention - Avoiding the Revolving Door of Hospital to Home and Back Again
    • Prepare an individualized fracture prevention program for each patient discharged to home.
  3. Specialized Nursing Care of the Osteoporotic Patient following a Fragility Fracture
    • Give examples of assessment tools utilized to diagnose osteoporosis and predict the risk of future fragility fractures.
    • Devise treatment regimens for fragility fracture patients.
  4. Orthopaedic Complications
    • Recognize potentially serious orthopaedic complications.
  5. Prevention and Management of Sports Injuries
    • Describe techniques used to prevent various types of sports injuries.
    • Devise treatment regimens for athletes with a variety of sports injuries.
  6. Degenerative joint disease: Conservative and surgical treatment options
    • Summarize various conservative and surgical treatment options for patients with degenerative joint disease.
  7. Medical and surgical care of the rheumatoid arthritis patient. Acute and chronic spine issues
    • Design a plan of care for the rheumatoid arthritis patient.
    • Distinguish between various acute and chronic spine issues based on typical signs and symptoms.
  8. The 5 Faces of Depression
    • Identify the different types of depression.
    • Describe the unique treatment options for each of the depressive types.
  9. Bipolar is More than a Mood Swing- Part I
    • Describe the steps to screening for bipolar disorder.
    • Identify issues that may lead to a flawed diagnose in bipolar disorder.
    • Recognize the co-morbid aspects of bipolar disorder
  10. Bipolar is More than a Mood Swing- Part II
    • Describe pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder.
    • Describe non-pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder.
    • Identify the comorbid effects of bipolar.
    • Identify the challenges in the management of bipolar disorder
  11. Genetic Testing: Fact or Science Fiction
    • Describe the rational for implementing pharmacogenetic testing in practice.
    • Identify the barriers to incorporating pharmacogenetic testing into clinical practice.
  12. Interviewing Techniques and Therapeutic Relationships in the the Mental Health Client.
    • Discuss the importance of self-awareness in the nurse-client relationship
    • Describe the phases of relationship development in the nurse-client relationship.
    • Identify the goals of a nurse-client relationship
  13. Risk Factors Military Members and Their Families Face for Mental Health Disorders and Addiction
    • Describe the three major components that make up military culture.
    • Summarize the issues that veterans face as they reintegrate into civilian life
    • Identify the barriers and challenges that may prevent a veteran or service member from seeking mental health or substance abuse treatment
    • Describe circumferences and specific demographics that increase risk for suicide in Veterans
  14. Psychopharmacology: Prescribing Tips and Tricks in Unique Populations
    • State how to select psychotropics in patients with complex medical issues
    • Discuss the challenges of managing a diabetic client who requires atypical antipsychotics
    • Describe necessary changes in psychotropic medications after gastric by pass.
Conference Sessions generally take place on days at sea (as itinerary allows), giving you plenty of time to enjoy your meals, evenings and ports of call with your companion, family and friends.
IMPORTANT NOTE: All conferees, their families, and guests must book their cruise within the University at Sea® meeting group through University at Sea® at 800-926-3775 or by registering online. This ensures our company can provide conference services and complimentary social amenities to all meeting participants and their guests. Thank you for your cooperation.
Faculty

Amy B. Harris, MSN, RN, OCNS-C

Amy B. Harris, MSN, RN, OCNS-C
Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Specialist
Licensed Advanced Practice Nurse
Maryland and District of Columbia
Consultant / Educator 
Clinical Program Coordinator
Rheumatology Division
Children's National Health System (CNHS)
Washington, D.C.  Amy B. Harris, MSN, APN, OCNS-C, spent 30 years working in a variety of orthopaedic settings to include level one trauma hospital in-patient units, ambulatory care settings, a rehabilitation hospital, operating rooms, and in out-patient pediatric orthopaedics and rheumatology. Amy's roles within these settings have included those of staff nurse, nurse manager, and clinical nurse specialist. She has demonstrated her expertise holding certification as an Orthopaedic Clinical Nurse Specialist. Her commitment to the National Association of Orthopaedic Nurses (NAON) is evident through her participation as a national congress speaker. She is on the test committee for the Orthopaedic Nursing Certification Board (ONCB) and has served as an item-writer for the ONCB's certification exams. Amy served on NAON's education committee, and she was co-chair of NAON's first full day APN conference.

As a Rheumatology Nurse Coordinator for the past 9 years, Amy expanded her expertise in the field of rheumatology. She is an active member of the Rheumatology Nurses Society (RNS). Amy has earned distinction as a sought-after presenter on a variety of topics related to the care of patients with orthopaedic and rheumatologic conditions. She has shared her insights nationally at conferences co-sponsored by NAON and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. She has also presented orthopaedic certification exam review courses around the country. Amy is well known for her energized teaching style and ability to provide practical information and interesting case studies to health care providers from varied disciplines.

Valerie R. Vestal, MSN, PMHNP-BC

Valerie R. Vestal, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Valerie is a Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. Her nursing career has yielded a variety of experiences extending from Cardiac Critical Care, Nursing Informatics, and Adjunct Clinical Instructor. She has found her home in Psychiatry.

She received both her undergraduate and graduate degree in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University. She also holds a Post Master in Psychiatric Family Nurse Practitioner from the University of South Alabama School of Nursing. She is also a Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve and has deployed to both Kuwait and Germany.

She is passionate about uplifting patients who have a negative self-image and have defined themselves by their illness. She has most recently expressed this through her work as a contributing author in the book Goodness Abounds.

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.

Cruise Itinerary

DATE PORT OF CALL ARRIVE DEPART
Sat Jun 29 Cape Liberty, NJ (New York, NY)
- 4:00 pm
Sun Jun 30 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Mon Jul 01 Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
10:00 am -
Tue Jul 02 Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda
- 5:00 pm
Wed Jul 03 *At Sea - Cruising
- -
Thu Jul 04 Cape Liberty, NJ (New York, NY)
7:00 am -
*Tentative course schedule, actual class times may differ.

Ports of Call

Cape Liberty, NJ (New York, NY) - Cape Liberty Cruise Port is located on the New York Harbor in Bayonne, New Jersey, and is just seven miles from New York City and three miles from Newark Liberty International Airport. Its waterfront location and close proximity to the Big Apple allow visitors easy access to everything New York City has to offer along with providing access to the historic roots of Northern New Jersey. Convenient guest parking is located adjacent to the cruise terminal.

At Sea - Cruising - Cruising

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda - Located at the tip of Bermuda's West End, Royal Naval Dockyard is home to exceptional shopping and pristine beaches. The beautifully restored Royal Navy Dockyards provide quaint boutique, a crafts market and fascinating maritime museum. Don't miss the chance to try out one of the many water sports offered in and around this gorgeous harbor. View Shopping Guide (Current shopping maps available onboard.)

Our staff can assist you with all your travel arrangements.

Questions? Call us at 800-422-0711.
We can assist you with all your travel arrangements. We'd be happy to help you plan your flights, hotels or tours before and/or after your cruise conference.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
Please note that our shore excursions are operated separately and
independently of those offered by the cruise line.
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