2026 AAENP National Conference: EmergNP: Full Schedule

9:10am CDT

Rock-a-bye ED: Optimizing Pediatric Sedation

Friday September 25, 2026 9:10am - 10:00am CDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Pediatric procedural sedation can quickly become one of the most challenging moments in emergency care, requiring sound clinical judgment and a strong focus on patient safety. Through interactive case-based learning, you'll explore a practical, stepwise approach to pediatric sedation—from non-pharmacologic comfort measures and safe anxiolytic use to procedural sedation, airway management, and knowing when anesthesia consultation is warranted. Leave with evidence-informed strategies, essential monitoring and reversal principles, and the confidence to safely manage pediatric sedation in the emergency department.

Speakers

Mindy Johnson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, ENP-C

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

Dr. Mindy Johnson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, ENP-C, is an Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing. She has over 15 years of adult and pediatric emergency and critical care experience, and her academic interests include pediatric emergency care, simulation... Read More →

Leah Bergman, CRNA, DNP

Assistant Professor, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Nurse Anesthesia Program

Friday September 25, 2026 9:10am - 10:00am CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

10:30am CDT

Pediatric Rashes: From Harmless to Hazardous

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Pediatric rashes are a common emergency department complaint, but distinguishing a benign illness from a life-threatening condition can be challenging. Through real-world case studies, this session will provide a practical framework for evaluating pediatric rashes by integrating history, physical examination findings, illness progression, and risk factors—not just pattern recognition. You'll leave with evidence-based strategies to identify high-risk "can't miss" conditions, avoid common diagnostic pitfalls, make confident disposition decisions, and provide effective caregiver education.

Speakers

Erica May, DNP, APRN, AG-ACNP-BC, FNP-BC, ENP-C

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

Drs Mindy Johnson and Erica May are Assistant Professors of Nursing at Vanderbilt University's Emergency Nurse Practitioner Program. Dr. Rachel Sweeney is the Family Nurse Practitioner Program Coordinator at Auburn University School of Nursing. The trio met in graduate school, and... Read More →

Mindy Johnson, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, AGACNP-BC, ENP-C

Assistant Professor of Nursing, Vanderbilt University School of Nursing

Friday September 25, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

11:30am CDT

Pediatric GI Pearls: What Every ENP Needs to Know

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are among the most common pediatric complaints in the emergency department—but recognizing the child with a time-sensitive surgical or medical condition requires a thoughtful approach. Using case-based discussions and evidence-informed guidelines, this session will strengthen your assessment, diagnostic reasoning, and management of pediatric gastrointestinal emergencies while highlighting key red flags and common pitfalls. You'll leave with practical clinical pearls to improve decision-making, optimize patient outcomes, and confidently care for children with GI concerns.

Speakers

Jill Ogg-Gress

Associate Professor Clinical Education Director Family Nurse Practitioner Program, Georgetown University Berkley School of Nursing

Dr. Jill Ogg-Gress is an Emergency Nurse Practitioner and an Associate Professor at Georgetown University. She is co-presenting with Dr. Carli Culjat who is also an Emergency Nurse Practitioner and an Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Carli Culjat, PhD, MBA, APRN, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN

Nurse Practitioner, Nebraska Methodist Hospital

Friday September 25, 2026 11:30am - 12:00pm CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

1:00pm CDT

One Step Off: Evaluating the Limping Child

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

A limping child can present one of the most challenging diagnostic dilemmas in emergency care, with causes ranging from minor injuries to limb- and life-threatening conditions. Through a practical, evidence-based approach, this session will strengthen your ability to efficiently evaluate the limping child, recognize critical red flags, and differentiate common diagnoses from orthopedic, infectious, inflammatory, and neurologic emergencies. You'll leave with a systematic assessment strategy, greater diagnostic confidence, and practical clinical pearls to support timely intervention and appropriate disposition.

Speakers

Michael Schill III, DNP, APN-C, FNP-BC, ENP-C, CEN, CFRN, MICN

Northeast Regional Lead APC, ApolloMD

Dr. Michael Schill III, DNP, APN-C, FNP-BC, ENP-C, CFRN, CEN, MICN, is Regional Lead Advanced Practice Clinician for ApolloMD's Northeast Region and an emergency nurse practitioner. With over 20 years of emergency care experience, he is a nationally recognized educator specializing... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

2:00pm CDT

Beyond Pajama Time: How AI Documentation Tools Can Reduce Burnout

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Documentation demands don't end when your shift does—but emerging AI tools are changing the way emergency clinicians work. This session explores how artificial intelligence can streamline documentation, reduce administrative burden, and support more efficient workflows while maintaining accuracy, compliance, and clinical judgment. You'll gain practical insights into today's AI documentation technologies, understand their benefits and limitations, and leave with strategies to help reclaim time, reduce burnout, and focus more fully on patient care.

Speakers

Chris Hickman, BSE, MSIS

Instructor, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Chris Hickman is an Instructor and Director of AI and Data Science Strategic Integration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing. His work focuses on practical AI, analytics, and informatics applications that improve clinical workflow, education, and workforce... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 2:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

3:30pm CDT

Bugs & Drugs in Emergency Care

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Choosing the right empiric antimicrobial in the emergency department requires balancing timely treatment, evolving resistance patterns, and responsible antibiotic stewardship. This session will provide a practical, evidence-based review of empiric therapy for common infectious presentations—including respiratory, skin and soft tissue, genitourinary, and HEENT infections—while addressing sepsis, selected viral illnesses, and key medication considerations. You'll leave with updated prescribing strategies, greater confidence in antimicrobial selection, and practical pearls to optimize patient outcomes while supporting responsible antibiotic use.

Speakers

Michael Gooch, DNP, APRN, CCP, FAASTN, FAANP, FAEN

Flight-Emergency Nurse Practitioner, Vanderbilt School of Nursing

Dr. Michael D. Gooch is an emergency and flight nurse practitioner and critical care paramedic with over 30 years of emergency and transport experience. He practices at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and serves as an Assistant Professor of Nursing at the Vanderbilt University... Read More →

Friday September 25, 2026 3:30pm - 4:00pm CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

4:00pm CDT

Impact of Targeted Intellectual Disability and Disorder Training on Clinical Competency

LIMITED

Friday September 25, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience unique challenges in the emergency department, yet many clinicians receive little formal education on providing equitable, patient-centered care for this population. This session explores practical strategies to improve communication, clinical assessment, and patient experience while highlighting how targeted education can strengthen provider confidence and reduce disparities in care. You'll leave with actionable approaches to deliver more inclusive, compassionate, and effective emergency care for patients with IDD and their caregivers.

Speakers

Christy Greenhalgh, DNP, FNP, ENP, AGACNP

Assistant Professor, Samford Univeristy

Dr. Christy Greenhalgh is the ENP track coordinator and an Assistant Professor at Samford University and is an emergency room nurse practitioner in clinical practice, with more than 15 years of experience in emergency medicine.

Friday September 25, 2026 4:00pm - 4:30pm CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

8:30am CDT

From Specialty to Population: Where ENP Proposal Stands

LIMITED

Saturday September 26, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Speakers

Jennifer Wilbeck, DNP, APRN, FAAN, FAANP

Wesley Davis, DNP, ENP-C, FNP-C, AGACNP-BC, FAANP, FAEN, FAAN

FNP/ENP Program Director, University of South Alabama

Saturday September 26, 2026 8:30am - 9:30am CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

10:00am CDT

Spinning the Truth: Evaluation of Dizziness in the ED

LIMITED

Saturday September 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

Dizziness is one of the most common—and often most challenging—chief complaints in emergency care, requiring clinicians to distinguish benign conditions from time-sensitive neurologic emergencies. Through a practical, evidence-based approach, this session will strengthen your evaluation of the dizzy patient by integrating focused history, bedside examination techniques, and clinical decision-making strategies to identify high-risk presentations. You'll leave with greater confidence in differentiating peripheral from central causes, avoiding common diagnostic pitfalls, and making safe, effective disposition decisions.

Speakers

Tina Paulk, DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-C

DNP/EM APP Educator, Emory University

Dr. Tina Paulk, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, ENP-C, is Interim Specialty Director of Emory University's Emergency Nurse Practitioner Program and Lead APP Educator for Emory Emergency Medicine. She is an emergency medicine clinician, educator, and national speaker with expertise in emergency... Read More →

Paula Tucker DNP, FNP-BC, ENP-C

Saturday September 26, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT
Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Track 1

11:00am CDT

Beyond the Cardiac Workup: When Elevated Troponin Masks a Toxidrome

LIMITED

Saturday September 26, 2026 11:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Ballroom 3 & 4 (Sheraton - 2nd Floor)

Limited Capacity seats available

An elevated troponin doesn't always point to acute coronary syndrome—and recognizing when the diagnosis lies beyond the cardiac workup can be lifesaving. Through a compelling case review, this session will explore how anticholinergic toxicity can mimic cardiac pathology, highlighting key clinical features, mechanisms of non-ischemic troponin elevation, and strategies to distinguish toxidrome from true ischemia. You'll strengthen your diagnostic reasoning, recognize cognitive biases that contribute to premature diagnostic closure, and gain practical approaches to evaluating complex patients with greater confidence and precision.

Speakers