2ND ANNUAL MEDICAL SURGICAL NURSING CONFERENCE - MANAGING BEDSIDE eMERGENCIES: WHEN SECONDS MATTER
October 02, 2026 | 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: In-person at South Piedmont AHEC, Center for Learning and Development
5039 Airport Center Parkway, Building K, Charlotte, NC 28208, Classroom 17 & 18
or Via Live Webinar
Target Audience
RNs, LPNs, APRNs, students, and healthcare providers.
Program Description
The 2nd Annual Medical Surgical Nursing Conference: When Seconds Matter, is a dynamic, one-day hybrid learning experience designed to equip nurses and healthcare professionals with the knowledge and confidence to respond effectively to time-sensitive clinical situations.
This conference will explore critical topics frequently encountered at the bedside, including stroke recognition and management, myocardial infarction, respiratory complications, and sepsis. Through evidence-based presentations and real-world insights, participants will strengthen their clinical judgment, enhance rapid response skills, and improve patient outcomes in high-pressure environments.
Sponsored by Southern Regional AHEC and South Piedmont AHEC.
Registration Fee
$125.00 Early Registration if payment is received by 9/4/2026
$115.00 Early Registration Group Rate: Per person when 3 or more register together and payment is received by 9/4/2026
$140.00 Registration if payment is received after 9/4/2026
$130.00 Registration Group Rate: Per person when 3 or more register together with 1 form of payment if payment is received after 9/4/2026
For the group rate contact Christi Boahn at (910) 678-7240.
Agenda
8 a.m. Registration
8:30 a.m. Opening Keynote
Pam Collins, MSN, RN, CMSRN, NPD-BC
Service Line Nurse Educator
Clinical Education, Advocate Health
9 a.m. Stroke Update
Julia Retelski, MSN, RN, CCNS
Director Stroke & Cerebrovascular, Neurosciences, Advocate Health
10 a.m. Break
10:15 a.m. Time is Muscle: Rapid Recognition & Nursing Care
Leslie Beth Sossoman, DNP, MSN, AGACNP BC, RN CV, CPHQ, CHSE
Faculty Specialist for the AG-ACNP Program at UNC Charlotte
Faculty, DNP Program at Wake Forest University
NP, Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute, Advocate Health
11:15 a.m. Respiratory Diseases & Complications
Nicole Cook DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CEN, CCRN, TCRN, CPHQ, Clinical Nurse
Specialist, Duke Health
12:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15 p.m. Sepsis on the Floor: Early Recognition and Rapid Response
Jessica Baker, MSN, RN, CCRN, Trauma Nurse Coordinator, Duke University Hospital
2:15 p.m. Break
2:30 p.m. Documentation, Law & AI in Nursing Practice
Pam Collins, RN, MSN, CMSRN, NPD-BC, Advocate Health
4 p.m. Q&A / Discussion
Speakers
Pam Collins, RN, MSN, CMSRN, NPD-BC serves as a Service Line Nurse Educator with Clinical Education at Advocate Health and brings more than 40 years of diverse nursing experience spanning clinical practice, administration, management, education, and consulting. In addition to her role with Advocate Health, Pam works as an independent consultant. She is dually certifiedin medical-surgical nursing through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN). She also holds board certification in Nursing Professional Development (NPD-BC).
Throughout her career, Pam has developed extensive expertise in the legal and professional aspects of nursing practice. She has served as a consultant and expert witness in medical-surgical cases involving nursing standards of care and is a sought-after educator on topics related to documentation, critical thinking, patient safety, and legal issues in nursing practice.
Julia Retelski, MSN, RN, CCNS, is a healthcare leader with extensive experience in stroke and cerebrovascular services, currently serving in a divisional leadership role with Advocate Health. She is recognized for her expertise in program development, quality and safety initiatives, accreditation readiness, and multidisciplinary collaboration across the continuum of care. Passionate about advancing evidence-based, patient-centered care, Julia has helped drive innovation in stroke systems, including the expansion of Telestroke services and AI integration in neurology. She is a frequent collaborator and speaker on topics related to neuroscience leadership, clinical excellence, and healthcare innovation.
Leslie Beth Sossoman, DNP, MSN, AGACNP-BC, RN-CV, CPHQ, CHSE, has more than 30 years of nursing experience and 23 years as a nurse practitioner specializing in cardiovascular care. She serves as the Faculty Specialist for the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AG-ACNP) program, a collaborative partnership between Atrium Health and The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Throughout her career, Dr. Sossoman has practiced in multiple cardiovascular specialties and is currently part of the advanced heart failure team at Sanger Heart & Vascular Institute. Her professional interests include acute care education, simulation, quality improvement, and advancing excellence in nursing practice.
Nicole Cook DNP, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CEN, CCRN, TCRN, CPHQ, is a highly skilled Clinical Nurse Specialist with extensive expertise spanning emergency, trauma, critical care, and quality improvement. She currently serves with Duke Health and is recognized for her leadership in evidence-based practice, patient safety, and nursing excellence. Dr. Cook has presented nationally on trauma care, emergency nursing, and clinical best practices, and is actively involved with the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) through research and scholarship leadership roles. She earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree from East Carolina University and is passionate about advancing nursing practice and improving patient outcomes.
Jessica Baker, MSN, RN, CCRN, is a Trauma Nurse Coordinator at Duke University Hospital, an ACS-verified Level I trauma center. She has over 15 years of nursing experience across medicalsurgical, critical care, surgical ICU, and trauma systems, with a strong focus on performance improvement and evidence-based practice. Jessica is a certified critical care nurse and TNCC instructor, with extensive experience in multidisciplinary trauma education, quality review, and guideline-driven care. Her work centers on translating complex critical care concepts, including sepsis recognition and management, into practical frameworks for bedside nurses.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to identify evidence-based approaches for the rapidassessment, recognition, and management of time-sensitive conditions in medical-surgical patients.
Outcome
• Discuss current evidence-based practices in the recognition, treatment, and management of patients experiencing stroke.
• Review the assessment, early intervention, and nursing management of patients presenting with myocardial infarction.
•Identify common respiratory diseases and complications and describe appropriate nursing interventions to support optimal patient outcomes.
• Recognize early signs and symptoms of sepsis and discuss timely interventions and rapid response strategies to improve patient outcomes.
• Examine best practices in nursing documentation, legal considerations in patient care, and the emerging role of artificial intelligence in nursing practice.
Credit
Contact Hours: 6.0
Nursing Contact Hours: 6.0 Nursing Contact Hours will be awarded to participants who attend 90% of this educational activity.
South Piedmont Area Health Education Center is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the North Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Substitutes/Refunds/Transfers
• Cancellations must be in writing (email or mail).
• Registrants cancelling between two weeks and five full business days prior to the first day of the event are refunded at 70% of the registration fee subject to a minimum $25 cancellation fee.
• No refunds or credits will be given for cancellations received less than five full business days prior to the event.
• No refunds or credit will be given for no-shows.
• No vouchers will be issued in lieu of a refund.
• Transfers/substitute(s) welcome (notify in advance of the program).
Attendance at this activity grants permission for Southern Regional AHEC to use any photographs, audio, video, or other images from this activity for promotional or educational purposes. Please notify an AHEC staff member if you have concerns.
ADA Services
Americans with Disabilities Act Individuals requesting accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) should contact the ADA coordinator at least five days prior to the event at (910) 678-7240 or christi.boahn@sr-ahec.org.
Contact Us
Tonja Teter, BSN, RN, Director of Nursing, CPD/RN Refresher Coordinator, (910) 678-7246 | tonja.teter@sr-ahec.org