Upcoming Meetings

Please check this page often for information about upcoming Chapter Meetings, sponsored Dinner Programs, and other APNA activities in California.

SF Peninsula and South Bay Area - at the VA in Palo Alto -- Wednesday, August 11, 2010, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Developing Trauma Informed Systems of Care

Past Events in 2010

• East Bay Area Meeting in Oakland -- July 29, 2010, 6:30 - 9 PM
  Dinner Meeting - Look at a New Treatment Option for Adjunctive Therapy to Antidepressants for Major Depressive Disorder - RSVP required

• San Diego Area -- Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 5:30 - 7:30 PM
  Recovery Practices in Mental Health Nursing

• Orange County Area -- Saturday, July 10, 2010, 11 AM - 12:30 PM
  Recovery Practices in Mental Health Nursing

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses with a presentation on "Developing Trauma-Informed Systems of Care in Psychiatry" was held on Thursday, June 3, 2010 At Pieros Acqua Pazza California Bistro at "The River" in Rancho Mirage, CA. The guest speaker and facilitator for this event was Mary Ann Nihart, MA, PMHNPBC, PMHCNSBC, President, APNA California Chapter, Faculty, UCDavis, Curriculum Developer, NASMHPD/NTAC Developing Trauma Informed Systems of Care. Topics included: the impact and frequency of traumatic events, becoming aware of the impact of retraumatization, examples of how programmatic issues can retraumatize, and steps in developing a trauma informed program and practice. The event was organized by the California Chapter's Palm Springs / Palm Desert Area Rep, Suzane Wilbur.

• The Chapter's Annual Conference was held Saturday, May 1, 2010 at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno. The conference theme was: "Improving Outcomes: Integrating Psychiatric Mental Health in Every Setting," and featured speakers were Mary Ann Nihart, MA, PMHNP-BC, PMHCNS-BC, Michelle Boran, RD, Ann Bispo, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, Marlene Nadler-Moodie, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, and Katherine Papazian, RN, MSN.

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses with a presentation on "Developing Trauma-Informed Systems of Care in Psychiatry" was held on Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at Community Behavioral Health Centers in Fresno, CA. The guest speaker and facilitator for this event was Mary Ann Nihart, MA, PMHNPBC, PMHCNSBC, President, APNA California Chapter, Faculty, UCDavis, Curriculum Developer, NASMHPD/NTAC Developing Trauma Informed Systems of Care. Topics included: the impact and frequency of traumatic events, becoming aware of the impact of retraumatization, examples of how programmatic issues can retraumatize, and steps in developing a trauma informed program and practice. The event was organized by California Chapter Central Valley Area Rep Marcia Melby.

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses was held on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at Ronald Reagan Medical Center at UCLA, in Los Angeles, CA. The guest speaker and facilitator for this event was Mary Ann Nihart, MA, PMHNPBC, PMHCNSBC, President, APNA California Chapter, Faculty, UCDavis, Curriculum Developer, NASMHPD/NTAC Developing Trauma Informed Systems of Care. Topics included: the impact and frequency of traumatic events, becoming aware of the impact of retraumatization, examples of how programmatic issues can retraumatize, and steps in developing a trauma informed program and practice. The event was organized by California Chapter Los Angeles Area Rep Cheryl Puntil.

Past Events in 2009

• An APNA California Chapter "General Business Meeting" was held on Thursday, October 8, 2009 during the 23rd APNA Annual Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. All Chapter members attending the Conference were invited to attend. The meeting featured installation of newly elected Chapter Officers, networking opportunities, and a discussion of what members would like to see in the way of Chapter activities in the year ahead.

• A Los Angeles Area Meeting was held on Thursday, July 16, 2009 at Cafe Ambrosia in Long Beach, CA. The meeting featured an educational forum entitled "PTSD Across the Life Span" presented by psychologist Leigh Messinides, PhD from VA Long Beach. The meeting was hosted by Helen Chrena, one of the Chapter's Area Reps for Los Angeles, with thanks to the US ARMY Reserve Health Care Team for their support in making this activity possible.

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses was held on Saturday, June 20, 2009 at the home of the Chapter's Orange County Area Rep, Jeannine Loucks, in Villa Park, CA. The guest speaker and facilitator for this event was Marlene Nadler-Moodie, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, an expert on unit safety and two-term Past President of APNA California Chapter. Topics of discussion included Restraint-and-Seclusion Reduction, Workplace Violence, and Safe Staffing.

• A San Francisco East Bay Area Meeting was held on Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at Alta Bates / Herrick Hospital in Berkeley, CA. Attendees enjoyed a lively discussion of evidence-based best practices with suicide assessment. also discussed were updates on the APNA California Chapter and APNA national conferences, the APNA national task forces, how to become involved in chat rooms on the APNA national web site, and California Chapter Board Meeting conference calls. The meeting was hosted by the Chapter's San Francisco East Bay Area Rep, Mary Kastner.

• The Chapter's Annual Conference was held Saturday, May 30, 2009 at Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Auditorium in Los Angeles, CA. The conference theme was: "Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing: Best Practices at the Point of Care," and featured speakers were Ann Kelly, MSN, PMHCNS-BC, RN (National University), Mary Paquette, PhD, MN (CSU Northridge), Liz Macera, PhD, NP-C (UCSF), Ann Bispo, MSN, RN, CNS (Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula), Michael Fitzgerald, MS, RN, CNS (El Camino Hospital, Mountain View, CA), Lisette Espana, MA, BSN (Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA), Sunnie Dishman, BSN, PHN (Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA), and Elaine Becker, PhD, RN (UCLA).

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses was held on Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at VA San Diego Medical Center in San Diego, CA. The facilitator for this event was Marlene Nadler-Moodie, MSN, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, an expert on unit safety and two-term Past President of APNA California Chapter. The Roundtable focused on Restraint-and-Seclusion Reduction, Workplace Violence, and Safe Staffing (ratios & regulations).

• An Orange County Area Meeting was held on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange, CA. The guest speaker, Dana Rutledge, RN, PhD, the Nursing Research Facilitator at St. Joseph's Hospital delivered an outstanding presentation on "Evidence-Based Practice and It's Implications for Psychiatric Nursing." The meeting was hosted by the Chapter's Orange County Area Rep, Jeannine Loucks.

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses was held on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at Community Regional Medical Center in Fresno, CA. The guest speaker and facilitator for this event was Mary Ann Nibhart, MA, PMHNP-BC, PMHCS-BC, Founding Faculty and Curriculum Developer, Executive Training Institute for the National Reduction in the Use of Seclusion and Restraint and President Elect of the California Chapter. The Roundtable focused on Restraint-and-Seclusion Reduction, Workplace Violence, and Safe Staffing (ratios & regulations).

• A Central Coast Area Meeting was held on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, CA. After an update regarding California Chapter and APNA national happenings, Kate Spacher, Deputy Director of Interim, Inc. discussed Interim's programs, services and needs. Interim, Inc., an innovative non-profit organization that provides housing and supportive services for people with mental illness, is recognized as a model program for the state of California. The meeting was hosted by the Chapter's Central Coast Area Rep and Immediate Past President, Kathryn Johnson, and was attended by the California Chapter's President, Ann Bispo, among others.

Past Events in 2008

• A Safety Roundtable for Staff Nurses was held on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at San Mateo County Hospital in San Mateo, CA. The facilitator for this event was APNA's own Marlene Nadler-Moodie, an international expert on unit safety. The Roundtable focused on Restraint-and-Seclusion Reduction, Workplace Violence, and Safe Staffing (ratios & regulations).

• A Los Angeles Area Meeting was held on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 at Shutters-on-the-Beach restaurant in Santa Monica, CA. The featured speaker was forensic psychiatrist Dr. John M. Deirmenjian, who gave a presentation on "Depression and Suicidality."

• A Los Angeles Area Meeting was held on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at Lawry's the Prime Rib restaurant in Beverly Hills, CA. The featured speaker was Dr. James Patty, who gave a presentation on "Agitation." Arrangements were made by Cheryl Puntil, who currently serves as Chapter Treasurer and as one of the Chapter's Area Reps for the greater Los Angeles Area.

• The first Peer Supervision Group Meeting of a new, ongoing series was held Friday, May 16, 2008 in San Francisco at the home of Kevin McGirr, who currently serves as Member-at-Large on the Chapter Board and Chair of the Chapter's Advanced Practice Committee. (For information about future meetings, please contact Beth Gray: BethGray2@comcast.net .)

• The Chapter's Annual Conference was held May 10, 2008 at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula in Monterey, CA. The conference theme was "The Biopsychosocial Impact of Trauma and Nursing Interventions in Treatment of Survivors," and featured speakers were Mary Ann Nihart, MA, APRN, CS, BC (UC Davis), Sandra Weiss, PhD, DNSc, FAAN (UC San Francisco), and Beth Phoenix, RN, PhD (UC San Francisco).

• An APNA California Chapter "Advanced Practice Roundtable" with complimentary light refreshments was held March 27, 2008 for San Francisco Bay Area members at San Jose State University in San Jose, CA.

• A Central Coast Area Meeting was held on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at Dominican Hospital of Santa Cruz in Santa Cruz, CA. The featured speaker was Ann Lowery, spokesperson for NAMI Monterey, who discussed many services available to NAMI members including the popular Family-to-Family and Peer-to-Peer classes. Dinner was provided by Astra Zeneca. Arrangements were made by Kathy Johnson, who currently serves as APNA California Chapter President and Central Coast Area Rep.

• A Central Valley Area Inaugural Meeting was held on February 11, 2008 in Fresno, CA. The meeting featured a presentation entitled "The Treatment of Nurses in Diversion" by Marjorie Harp, RN, C, BS of the Veterans Administration Hospital, Fresno.

Past Events in 2007

• A CNS Furnishing Meeting for Southern California was held December 8, 2007 in Bellflower, CA. The meeting featured an update on APNA California Chapter's efforts to get furnishing authority for Clinical Nurse Specialists in California.

• An APNA California Chapter "General Business Meeting" was held on October 4, 2007 during the 21st APNA Annual Conference in Kissimmee, Florida. All Chapter members attending the Conference were invited to attend. The meeting featured installation of newly elected Chapter Officers, networking opportunities, and a discussion of what members would like to see in the way of Chapter activities in the year ahead.

• An APNA California Chapter "Advanced Practice Roundtable" and complimentary dinner was held September 6, 2007 for San Diego Area members at Mesa Vista Hospital in San Diego.

• An in-service/lecture with pizza and salad was held August 30, 2007 for Los Angeles Area members at the Exodus Recovery Urgent Care Center at Brotman Hospital in Culver City -- featuring guest speaker David Lisonbee, who gave a 1-hour presentation on "Methamphetamine Addiction." There was a short presentation on the second generation antipsychotic GEODON. Supported by Pfizer and Twin Town Recovery Center.

• An APNA California Chapter "Advanced Practice Roundtable" and complimentary dinner was held July 26, 2007 for San Francisco Bay Area members at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City. Supported by Forest Pharmaceuticals.

• A complementary dinner program was held July 17, 2007 for Monterey Bay Area members at the Bittersweet Bistro in Aptos -- featuring guest speaker Po Wang, M.D. of Stanford's Bipolar Clinic, who gave a talk on "Psychopharmacologic Treatment of Bipolar Disorder." Supported by Samantha Becerra and GSK.

• The Chapter's Annual Conference was held May 4-5, 2007 in San Diego.

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