APNA Annual Conference Attendee Tips

Tips for In-Person Attendees

Before you arrive…

Be sure to pack business casual clothes, a sweater, comfy shoes, and your device for handouts or your pre-printed handouts.
Stay up-to-date: Add inform@apna.org to your safe senders list.
Keep a copy of your registration confirmation and hotel room booking confirmation handy just in case.

At the conference…

Check in at Registration and pick up your name badge and program book.
Registration Open
- Wednesday 7:00am – 7:30pm
- Thursday 8:00am – 6:45pm
- Friday 8:00am – 6:15pm
- Saturday 8:00am – 1:00pm
The agenda of sessions will be on the conference site here. You are welcome to attend any session (space permitting) or sit one out and view the recording 2-3 months after the conference.
- Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored product theaters and symposia are only available during the live conference, not on demand.
Complete evaluations for sessions you attend live and receive contact hours at apna.org/ACevals by November 1.

Can’t Miss Events

Thursday Derby Delights Reception!
Thursday State Meetups
Friday Connect with Councils & Committees

Tips for Virtual Attendees

Before the Conference….
Ensure that you have the right technology in place:

You will need a high-speed internet connection that supports video streaming. Click on this link to run a speed test on your internet connection. If your results are 0.30Mbps or lower you may want to contact your Internet Service Provider (such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T) to troubleshoot.
Use the latest versions of Google Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge as your browser for the best viewing experience. Do not use Internet Explorer.
A device with a video camera is not required.
If you need technical support, please post a message in the APNA Help Desk discussion on the home page.

Attending the Conference….
A few days before the conference, and each day of the conference, you’ll receive an email with a link to access your virtual conference site. You will be prompted to log in with the email you used to register and to create a password.

You are welcome to attend any virtual livestream option or sit a time block out and view the recordings 2-3 months after the conference.
- Remember, sessions are livestreamed, so they are ONLY available for viewing during their scheduled times.
- Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored symposia are only available during the live conference, not on demand.
Complete evaluations for sessions you attend live and receive contact hours at www.apna.org/ACevals by November 1.

If you have trouble viewing the livestream, try these tips or give us a call at 855-863-2762 so that we can walk you through them.

Refresh your browser and clear your cache.
Ensure that you are closed out of other programs and do not have multiple tabs open on your browser.
Turn off ad-blocking software in your browser.
Disable all plugins.
Ensure that any VPN you may have is disabled.
Try an incognito window in your web browser: On an Apple/Mac Device, press Shift + ⌘ + N. On other devices, press Shift+CTRL+N.
Make sure you have good internet access. Are there others using your connection? Click on this link to run a speed test on your internet connection. If your results are 0.30Mbps or lower you may want to contact your Internet Service Provider (such as Comcast, Spectrum, AT&T) to troubleshoot.
If a company device is being used, it may have security protocols that can interfere. If that is the case, use a personal device and see if that makes a difference.

Connect with Amazing Nurses at Can’t-Miss Events

Celebrate Inspiring Nurses

Meet the APNA Annual Awards recipients, APNA Memorial Scholarship Recipients, & APNA Board of Directors Student Scholars at the Conference Kickoff & Awards Ceremony at 6:30pm Central on Wednesday.

Let’s Party!

On Thursday, stop by the reception from 7:30pm-9:30pm Central, where you can mix, mingle, and make connections!

Poster Presentations

Explore evidence-based discoveries & earn up to 4 contact hours for viewing & evaluating the posters Thursday from 10:00am-6:30pm and Friday, 10:00am-3:00pm Central. Chat with the presenters at 10:30am on Friday.

State Meetups

Join your state huddle to connect with psychiatric-mental health nurses from your area 5:45pm-6:45pm Central on Friday. Meet local leaders and discuss your region’s PMH nursing advancements, needs, and opportunities.

Connect with Councils & Committees

Connect with like-minded colleagues with expertise in addictions, administration, children & adolescents, education, mental health advocacy, practice, safe environments, recovery, and research & scholarship at 3:30pm-4:15pm Central on Thursday.

Exhibit Hall

Get information from and engage with industry stakeholders in psychiatric-mental health nursing on Thursday, 1:30pm-5:00pm and Friday, 10:00am-1:00pm Central.

Open Your Mind, Get Refreshed, Advance Care

“I appreciated the variety of sessions offered and many themes that ran through sessions consistently and with kindness and compassion.”

– 2024 Attendee

“I love this conference more than any others I go to. To be surrounded by psych nurses is mighty safe feeling.”

– 2024 Attendee

“Great experience. Can’t wait to see you all in Louisiana next year!”

– 2024 Attendee

APNA Annual Conference Program

Choose from hundreds of presentations covering diverse PMH nursing topics like:

Artificial Intelligence
Addictions/Substance Use
APRN Practice
Child & Adolescent
Community Care
Complementary & Alternative Therapies
Depression
Ethics
Graduate Education
Integrated Care
Inpatient
Leadership
Legal
Measurements/Outcomes

Military
Outpatient
Pharmacology
Private Practice
Psychedelics
Psychotherapy
RN Practice
Recovery Tools
Research
Safety
Special Populations
Trauma
Undergraduate Education
Violence Prevention
Women’s Health

2025 Program is Here!

Earn up to 115+ ANCC NCPD Contact Hours

Up to 24.75* during the conference
90+ with session recordings available 2-3 months after the conference

*Includes pre-conference add-on sessions (additional fee) and industry-sponsored symposium.

More About Contact Hours

Hear From Speakers that Inspire

Hundreds of your colleagues will share success-stories and evidence-based discoveries at the conference. Meet 2 of your featured speakers:

APNA President’s Address

Empowered to Innovate and Collaborate: PMH Nurses Shaping Care Excellence
Thursday, October 16, 9:00am Central
Joyce Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN

Dr. Joyce Shea is a board-certified advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nurse (APRN) specializing in integrated behavioral and physical health care. She is Professor Emerita at Fairfield University’s Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. Having previously served for 5 years as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, she stepped into the role of President for this premier psychiatric nursing organization as of October 2024. Dr. Shea also recently co-chaired the national Task Force for revising the Scope and Standards of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice and has received over $6 million in HRSA funding, with the most recent grant focusing on telehealth care and inter-professional practice. She has been inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.

Keynote Presentation

The Power of One
Friday, October 11, 9:00am Central

Allison Massari

As an advocate for patients and healthcare professionals, Massari has an intimate understanding of the demands and challenges of the healthcare profession, and compelling authority to address the current needs of the healthcare industry. She experienced firsthand the critical value of receiving personalized health care after surviving two life-threatening car accidents, one where she suffered second and third degree burns on over 50 percent of her body.

Raised by parents who were both clinicians – her father an otolaryngologist whose primary focus was on oncologic cases, and her mother a nurse who worked in the emergency department, operating room, and newborn nursery across her career – Allison grew up immersed in the healthcare field and was captivated by her parent’s compassionate work.

As she shares her riveting and courageous journey, Massari shines light on how all healthcare professionals provide immense value. The profound lessons she learned inspire confidence and self-leadership, while elevating hearts and building resiliency within the challenges of the high-pressure healthcare work environment.

Same Contact Hours, Two Different Experiences

New Orleans Experience

Available for: Regular Conference & One Day Registrations
Optional Add-On: Wednesday Sessions
Contact Hours: Up to 24.75+ live, 90+ on demand (includes Wednesday add-on)

Take your pick of sessions presented in in each time block at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Engage with colleagues and speakers during sessions, breaks, and special events.
Browse and evaluate poster presentations in the poster hall; meet the poster presenters.
Enjoy meal sessions with industry-sponsored Product Theaters.
Two-3 months after the conference, access podcast recordings of the sessions presented on the days you are registered. Earn up to 90+ more contact hours for these sessions any time until November 7, 2025.

Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored product theaters and symposia only available during conference, not on demand.

Full Conference Program

Virtual Livestream Experience

Available for: Regular Conference & One Day Registrations
Optional Add-On: Wednesday Sessions
Contact Hours: Up to 24.75+ live, 90+ on demand (includes Wednesday add-on)

In addition to the President’s Address, Keynote Presentation, and Symposium, choose from two livestream session options available during each time block.
Use the live chat feature to ask questions and connect with fellow virtual attendees.
Browse and evaluate poster presentations in the online poster gallery Thursday-Saturday.
Two-3 months after the conference, access podcast recordings of the sessions presented on the days for which you registered. Earn up to 90+ more contact hours for these sessions through November 7, 2025.

Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored product theaters and symposia only available during conference, not on demand.

VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM PROGRAM

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Resources Curated for You

Attendee Tips for the APNA 39th Annual Conference

Tips for In-Person Attendees

Tips for Virtual Attendees