44th Annual Conference Program

NOVA 44th Annual Conference

Balancing Compassion: NOVA Nurses, Nurturing Ourselves, Caring for Veterans

The NOVA Annual Conference is the only conference dedicated to VA Nurses. The Nurses Organization of Veterans Affairs (NOVA) provides a forum for exchange of new scientific and clinical information relevant to nursing practices and brings together Staff Nurses, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses, Consultants, and Supervisors. The educational offerings provide attendees the opportunity to learn cutting-edge advances in research and exchange ideas and practices in the field of patient care as well as:

Creating an arena for the interchange of ideas regarding care and management for our Veterans
To facilitate discussions of socioeconomic, ethical, and regulatory issues related to the care of our Veterans as well as Nurses

The information at the conference will be presented through symposia, Podium Presentations (oral abstracts), a general session, and poster presentations. Attending also provides the opportunity to network and gain CEs.

Below is a draft schedule of our conference program. Please note we are still working diligently to complete our program and will update as details are finalized.

Join us in October for the only conference dedicated to VA Nurses!

2024 Annual Conference Program Draft

Total CEs Available: 13

Tuesday, October 8

8:00 AM – 5:00 PM	NOVA Board Meeting (Open to NOVA Board Members only)
3:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Registration Open
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM	Pre-Conference Symposia Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM	Welcome Reception with Exhibitors and Poster Presentations

Wednesday, October 9

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM	Coffee with Exhibitors
8:00 AM – 8:30 AM	Opening Ceremony
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM	General Session 1: Speaker: Representative Jennifer Kiggans
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	General Session 2 - Donation and the VHA: Strength to Strength Speaker: Emily Larimer, RN, MSN, BA
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM	Break - Refreshments with Exhibitors & Innovative Technology Talk with Ascendis Pharma
10:30 AM – 11:30 PM	General Session 3 – Our High Reliability Journey: The Critical Role of Leadership, Psychological safety and Just Culture Speaker: Joan Clifford,DNP
11:30 AM - 11:40 AM	Meditation Exercise with Joellene Skoog, Breath of Qigong
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM	NCPD Accredited Prostate Cancer Lunch Symposium- Provided by PeerView Co-Chairs: Kassandra August-Marcucio, DNP, APRN, ACNP-BC, SANE and Grace Cullen, NP, FNP-BC, AOCNP, PMGT-BC, FPCN
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM	General Session 4 – Phototherapy Speaker: Katherine Allen, RN, BSN
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	General Session 5 – Keys to Success for Nurse Promotion Consideration and Annual Evaluation Speaker: Heather Arredondo, DHA, RN, VHA-CM, Associate Director Policy, Legislation, and Professional Standards, Department of Veterans Affairs
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM	Break - Refreshments with Exhibitors & Innovative Technology Talk with Organogenesis
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM PM	General Session 6 – Nursing Town Hall Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Strawn, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM	Closing Remarks
4:45 PM - 5:15 PM	Legislative Meet N Greet
5:15 PM	Qigong on the Beach

Thursday, October 10

7:00 AM – 8:00 AM	Breakfast Symposia, Sponsored by:Johnson & Johnson Speakers: Sandy Woodring and Iris Rosario Lucena
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM	General Session 7 – Nurse Safety Speaker: Ahnnya Slaughter, DNP, CNS-BC, RN-C
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM	General Session 8 - Innovation Speaker: Megan Rumzie, DNP, MBA, CNL, RN, HNB-BC
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM	Break - Refreshments with Exhibitors
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM	General Session 9 - Lightening Podium Presentations
11:00 AM - 11:10 AM	Meditation Exercise with Joellene Skoog, Breath of Qigong
11:10 AM - 11:30 AM	Poster Session in Exhibit Hall
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM	Awards Luncheon & NOVA Business Meeting
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM	General Session 10 - Caring for Patients with Cognitive Impairment Speaker: Dr. Lawrence Lemos, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	General Session 11 - Pathway to Healthy Work Environment: HRO Journey Benefits All Speaker: Beth Waters, BSN, RN, CCRN, PHN
3:00 PM - 3:30 PM	BREAK - Refreshments with Exhibitors
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM	Closing Session 12 – 118th Congress VA Legislation/Policy Wrap Up Speakers: Morgan Brown, PVA; Jon Retzer, DAV; Rene Campos, MOAA; James Whittaker, HVAC Majority; Alexis MacDonald, HVAC Minority; Tess Wrzesinski, SVAC Majority; Hunter Thompson, SVAC Minority
5:00 PM - 5:15 PM	Closing Remarks

NOVA Conference Floor Plan

Optional Event

Due to unforseen circumstances, the Dinner Detective event has been cancelled. Those who have purchased a ticket willbe receiving a refund. We are sorry for any inconvneince this has caused.

NOVA Annual Silent Auction

NOVA's Nurse Emeritus Group is honored to sponsor a silent auction, hosted at this year's Annual Conference. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Mary Raymer Scholarship.

We welcome items of manageable size for the auction, such as gift cards, jewelry, books, and small pictures. If you are donating items for the auction, please bring them with you to Virginia Beach. Once you arrive, please check your donation in at the registration desk. Winners will be responsible for transporting their items home.