Chilton Hospital’s 8^th Annual NICHE (Nurses Improving Care for Healthsystem Elders) Conference, “Changing Issues and Practices,” will be held on Friday, October 19, at the Woodland Commons Conference Center at Cedar Crest in Pompton Plains, NJ.

The NICHE Conference offers presentations from a variety of experts in the field of eldercare, as well as information and vendor booths. Nurses, physicians, physical/speech/occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians, case managers and other health care professionals are welcome to attend.

The latest updates on evidence-based care will be presented: pressure ulcer prevention, assessment and care for the elder with substance use/abuse, polypharmacy considerations, screening for palliative and hospice care, pain and comfort management and the use of progressive mobility to prevent functional decline.

At the end of the program, attendees will be able to:

• Describe how to approach families and patients with information about palliative care
• Explain the importance of functional assessment and interventions to promote function in the elder adult
• Assess for alcohol and substance abuse in the elderly population, as well as discuss treatment options and plans of care
• Discuss evidence-based pressure ulcer prevention
• Review polypharmacy considerations as well as the new Beers criteria

The following presentations will be provided from experts in the field of eldercare:

• “Comfort Promotion and Pain Management in the Elderly” by Tara Cleary, DNP, GNP-BC, OCN, of Long Island Jewish Medical Center
• “Palliative Care & Hospice” by Arlene D’Cunha, M.D., Cedar Crest Village
• “Turning Every Two Hours: What Does the Evidence Indicate?” by Jan Powers, PhD, RN, MSN, CCRN, CCNS, CNRN, CWCN, of St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis
• “Alcohol and Substance Abuse in the Elder Population” by Elizabeth Micich-Otero, MSN, RN-BCCC, of Christian Health Care Center, Wyckoff, NJ
• “Polypharmacy and the New Beers Criteria,” by Kanan Shah, PharmD, of Chilton Hospital
• "Progressive Mobility and Prevention of Functional Decline," by Judith Cohen, RN, of Mid-AtlantiCare, Reva, MD

Sponsorship:

The NICHE Conference is sponsored, in part, by Chilton’s Community Outreach Departments, Gerontology Services Division; Hill-Rom; Cedar Crest Village; Sage Products and Convatec.

Registration:

Registration is $85 or a reduced rate of $50 for students, which includes materials, breakfast and lunch. Registration deadline is October 12. For more information and/or registration, contact Chilton’s NICHE coordinator, Nancy Bonard, RN, MSN, RN-BCC, at (973) 831-5271, or nbonard@chiltonhealth.org.