From the NADONA Conference, Part 1
NADONA/LTC's 2009 Annual Conference officially kicked off Sunday morning with a warm welcome from President Sherrie Dornberger. When I say warm, I mean 114 degrees in Phoenix today, but 350+ attendees did their best to stay cool and hydrated in the convention center.
Representatives from across the country (including our own contributor Fran Shuda of Pennsylvania) carried their state flags into the auditorium. It was nice to see DONs from all 50 states represented.
In addition to emphasizing quality care for residents, sessions carry another important theme: taking care of yourself. Keynote speaker LeAnn Thieman, LPN, CSP, CPAE, author of Chicken Soup for the Nurse's Soul, stressed that nurses must take care of their own physical, emotional and spiritual health in order to provide good care to others.
Sharing stories of her own personal life and those of many nurses featured in her book, LeAnn was a truly inspiring speaker.