Congress-goers headed home Saturday and Sunday as AARC Congress 2022 finished up with a motivational Closing Ceremony. Everyone agreed it was great to be back together in person for an inspiring meeting that will reenergize their passion for the profession and the patients we all serve in the year to come.
75th Anniversary Bash
Congress-goers gathered in the La Nouvelle Ballroom Friday night to celebrate 75 years of the AARC. The night was filled with dancing, trivia, great food and fun times with friends and colleagues. Cheers, indeed, to 75!
International Guests Welcomed
The Congress was honored to have a number of International clinicians in attendance this year. These practitioners spoke during lectures and symposiums, presented original research in the OPEN FORUMS, and shared their experiences and insights with American RTs in informal settings as well. The International Reception took place last night to honor these guests, culminating with the awarding of the 2022 Toshihiko Koga, MD International Medal to Jerome Sullivan, PhD, RRT, FAARC.
Plenary Session: Flipping the Script on Prone Positioning
Jie Li, PhD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, FAARC, got Congress-goers’ attention in the Phil Kittredge Memorial Lecture this afternoon with a look at a growing technique used in the profession. Her topic, “Prone Position Flipping the Script,” delved into the use of prone positioning during the pandemic, how it is becoming a more common option for other critically ill patients too, and why RTs need to be well-versed in its use.
Closing Ceremony: We Will Survive!
Long-time respiratory care educator Kathy Rye, EdD, RRT, RRT-ACCS, RRT-NPS, FAARC, shared her personal experience with COVID-19 during Saturday’s Closing Ceremony in a talk titled, “Surviving the Storm — I’m Still Standing & So Are You!” Dr. Rye came down with COVID early on in the pandemic and spent 45 days on a ventilator, emerging from what her doctors and family feared might be a fatal case 60 days after being admitted to the hospital to embark on a new mission to advocate for resiliency among her colleagues.
Tell Us What You Want to See Next Year!
This year’s Congress may have just ended, but the Program Committee is already looking ahead to the 2023 meeting in Nashville. They need your help! Click on the link to submit your requests for proposals for lectures and symposiums for next year’s event!
On to Congress 2023!
We’ll be heading to Nashville, TN, for next year’s AARC Congress, so mark your calendars for Nov. 4-7, 2023, and join us as RTs take over Music City! We promise you it will meet or exceed everything you’ve seen so far at AARC Congress 2022 in New Orleans! Learn more about Nashville at VisitMusicCity.com or visit our Congress Save the Date page.
Email newsroom@aarc.org with questions or comments, we’d love to hear from you.
Debbie Bunch is an AARC contributor who writes feature articles, news stories, and other content for Newsroom, the AARC website, and associated emailed newsletters. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, photography, and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Connect with Debbie by email or on AARConnect or LinkedIn.
