Region 1 Update
Ronda Dyer, MSN, BSPA, RN, CPAN, CAPA, CNE, Region 1 Director
Including all states west of the North Dakota to Texas line, Region 1 is by far the largest geographical Region in ASPAN. Our eight Components occupy nearly half of the entire United States. This winter, the Region is rocking with excitement over ASPAN’s National Conference being in our midst. The COVID-delayed, long-awaited Denver event is going to be at the beautiful Gaylord Rockies Resort and Convention Center April 28-May 1.
This year, the event will kick off with a Thursday evening party, The Happening. This will be a fun opportunity for friends from across the nation to reunite, visit, eat, drink, dance and have fun together. Sunday evening will be the President’s Reception with more food, music and dancing in honor of Region 1’s own Connie Hardy-Tabet, ASPAN President. Monday morning’s Closing Breakfast with installation of the newly elected ASPAN BOD returns followed by a keynote speaker to wrap everything up. The time between will be packed full of engaging education, awards, poster presentations, the expo hall and much more! Register today at www.aspan.org.
This energized Region is not sitting around waiting for the one big event. PANANM (New Mexico) had its first live seminar in several years January 21 in Albuquerque. PANAC (California) is having a hybrid winter seminar in Ventura February 11 while RMPANA (Rocky Mountain) has their Lois Schick Memorial Winter Workshop in Aurora. NevPANA (Nevada) is hosting a Spring Conference in Reno March 4. Next stop, NPANA (Northwest) Spring Fling Marck 18 in Spokane. USPAN (Utah) will hit the ground running after National Conference with an event May 6. June 11 will be AZPANA’s (Arizona) Summer Seminar. Need a good excuse to visit Hawaii? Plans are underway for an October event in Honolulu.
Nurses are preparing for spring certification exams including nearly 50 who are participating in a virtual study group in California. Studying with buddies always helps. If you are not yet certified, grab a friend, pull out the books and start studying. Hold each other accountable and celebrate your successes together! Information on the Certified PeriAnesthesia Nurse (CPAN) and Certified Ambulatory PeriAnesthesia (CAPA) exams can be found at www.cpancapa.org. The deadline to register for spring exams is April 30. Testing dates are available March 15-May 15. If you pass before attending National Conference, you can be recognized at the April 28 CPAN CAPA Luncheon as one of the newest certified nurses in the room!