Northwest Anesthesia Seminars meeting review

Meeting Review: Difficult Airway, Las Vegas

Reviewed by DP, Texas

Meeting Date: 04/01/2013

Meeting location: Las Vegas

Meeting presented by: Difficult Airway

Meeting strengths / interesting topics & speakers

This was a three day conference concentrating on the difficult airway. There was a total of approx 3 hours of lecture and the rest was hands on with some case studies. Overall, very informative review of how to handle difficult airway. Really enjoyed the different case studies. Got lots of practice driving the scope with AFOI and pediatric airway. The days were long however and this is not the kind of conference where one can come and go as you please. This was also a meeting with MDA’s, CRNA’s, AA’s, ER docs.
This meeting was at Planet Hollywood resort and casino. The facilities were nice but the casino itself has a very young party vibe which didn’t fit my personal style. Overall though, very good. Good simulation and presentation of different ways to approach the difficult airway.

Suggested improvements: The boxed lunch on the first day was awful. The breakfast was decent. The days were long- not a lot of time for fun after the long days if you wanted to be back early for the next day.

Overall value for the money: We got a total of 21 hrs for about $850. That’s pretty on par for cost of other conferences. I think the value was good though because they did provide simulation and scopes, surgical airways, etc.

Meeting Review: NAFA Disney World

Have you been to an Anesthesia CME Meeting lately? Share your experiences with your colleagues.

Meeting Date: 11/25/2012

Meeting location: Disney World

Meeting presented by: NAFA

Meeting strengths / interesting topics & speakers:

Overall, the meeting was very good. It was a great value for the money. The location was fantastic as well as the time of year as WDW wasn’t too busy right after Thanksgiving. The meeting facilities were nice and the breakfast was hot. Most of the topics were taught by CRNA’s and had a great diversity to include- politics, pedi, OB, etc. They also started earlier in the morning to allow extra CE’s and went till 1 pm to allow time for family.

Suggested improvements: None.

Overall value for the money:

They had two early bird sessions for an extra 2 CEU and also it is affiliated with students so they allowed students to put up their posters and we can get an extra CE for commenting on posters. Overall- 23 CE’s for $550. By far the best value as far as CE for money. Plus the meeting rate for the resort was about a 1/3 of what somebody would have to pay regularly. The resort was very nice.

Reviewed by David P, (Texas)

Click here to visit the NAFA web site.

Meeting Review: NWAS Philadelphia

Meeting Date: May 24-27, 2012

Quality of Meeting: Overall excellent. The speakers were very good and the topics were relevant to clinical practice. Objectives were met for each of the topics presented. I did not attend the hand’s on ultrasound workshop but was told that it was very good also. I especially enjoyed the topics presented by Dr. Murphy. He was well informed and interacted with the audience

Quality of location: Again, excellent. The host hotel was nice and located in Central Downtown. There were many good restaurants close to the hotel. Philadelphia had many historic sites as well as museums. I was pleasantly surprised at all the murals covering walls in the downtown area. It was an easy area to keep active by walking and biking. I especially enjoyed a bike ride along the trail by the river.

Value for the money: Excellent. NWAS puts on a lot of meetings and have developed a quality faculty. They seek sites that are great getaway locations. I will attend another NWAS meeting next year.

Meeting Review: Encore Symposium, Santa Fe, NM

Encore Symposiums, Inc. was founded in 1983 with the focus of providing continuing education to anesthesia providers in unique and exciting destinations. Each venue offers a high quality educational event that augments the expertise of the nurse anesthetist and a truly wonderful get-a-away.

Through the years we have developed a CRNA faculty that is dedicated to sharing knowledge directly pertaining to the challenges facing nurse anesthesia practice today. Their presentations are pertinent, up-to-date and applicable to many areas of clinical anesthesia.

September in Santa Fe will include Hands-On Ultrasound Workshop & Interactive Legal Presentations. Encore Symposiums has been providing CRNA continuing education for nearly 30 years. September 3-6, 2012, they are offering a schedule that includes Regional Anesthesia presentations followed by a Hands-on Ultrasound Workshop. In addition, the symposium will carry an emphasis on legal issues and include an Interactive Mock Deposition.

The symposium will be held at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, located in the heart of downtown. Spaces are limited, register now!

Click here to visit the web page for the Sante Fe meeting. If you have been to an Encore Symposium, use the form below to write a review.

Northwest Anesthesia Seminars, Waikiki meeting

Overall, a great meeting in a great location. The theme for the meeting was trauma and the speakers were knowledgible. There were excellent reviews of mechanisms of trauma as well as airway management and fluid replacement. The review of the massive transfusion protocol, including the type and volume of fluid to be given, was informative. I was satisfied with the meeting and would return to Waikiki for another meeting.

Reviewed by TD in Texas

Northwest Anesthesia Seminars, Caribbean Cruise

February 2011. A cruise is always a good place to combine meeting and vacation. There were many good lectures. The talk on the massive trauma protocol, blood replacement, (1:1:1 FFP, PRBC, 1 pk platelets) should be continued until blood loss is under control. Overall, a good experience.

Submitted by HA in Texas