Next year's Conference
As we start imagining next year's conference, I wanted to share some of the feedback and start a conversation about what people liked and want to see more of, and what people would like to be different. Greatly value everyone's input in making it successful for all of us and our patients/families!
What attendees valued most
Family and patient voices. The family/patient panel was the dominant theme in written feedback. Attendees valued hearing real-life experiences, understanding the “why” behind the work, and seeing care through the family perspective.
Cross-center learning. Roundtables and breakout discussions helped participants compare workflows, identify shared challenges, and bring practical ideas back to their own institutions.
Actionable clinical content. Frequently cited content included caregiver readiness and education, discharge planning across facilities, ventilator troubleshooting, high-flow and noninvasive support, monitoring parameters, and ethical decision-making.
Collaborative energy. Several respondents emphasized the value of networking, gathering ideas, and forming connections across institutions and disciplines.
Opportunities for next year
Create more protected networking time. This was the lowest-rated item (4.60/5), and several attendees explicitly asked for more time to connect between sessions.
Reduce competing breakouts or repeat high-demand sessions. Multiple respondents found it difficult to choose among several relevant concurrent sessions, and one newly added response specifically requested presenting topics sequentially rather than simultaneously.
Keep and expand the family/patient panel. Consider adding home health nursing, case management, or social work perspectives while preserving direct family participation.
Provide take-home resources. Attendees requested physical or shareable materials that can support practice change at their home institutions.
Broaden promotion and participation. Suggestions included more advertising, increased attendance, and representation from additional centers across Ohio.
Address practical comfort and logistics, including room temperature and timing for interactive discussion.