AAPACN is celebrating its 25th anniversary at its annual conference April 10-13 in Hollywood, FL.

The association of patient assessment coordinators and long-term care nurse managers will offer 28 educational sessions in three tracks and networking opportunities during the annual convention.

The meeting’s opening keynote speaker will be Mark Parkinson, the president and CEO of the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living. Other highlights will include updates from representatives of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing represents more than 18,000 post-acute care nurses and professionals working in more than 7,000 facilities. The group offers education, certification, resources and strong collaborative communities.

Regulatory, coding, clinical and other best-practice information will be shared at a variety of levels during the conference.

Key dates are closing in. The discounted hotel rate offer at the Diplomat Beach Resort ends Sunday and the early-bird registration deadline is March 17.

The event website contains full registration and other information.

AAPACN’s roots reach back to the founding of the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordination (AANAC) in 1999. Founder Diane Carter’s motivation was to provide education and support for nurses working with the new Minimum Data Set assessment tool.

Offering a web-based community of support and peer learning, AANAC defined the role of the nurse assessment coordinator (NAC) and developed the standard-setting RAC-CT® (Resident Assessment Coordinator-Certified) education and certification program the following year as a certificate program and then as a certification in 2007.

In 2016, the AANAC board of directors formed a new parent association, the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN). That same year AAPACN launched a sister association to AANAC, the American Association of Director of Nursing Services (AADNS) to assist other nurse leaders whose primary responsibilities were not confined to MDS or resident-assessment matters.