2025 Annual Meeting Agenda

APGNN Program November 7th-8th, 2025  

Friday, November 7th 

7:30-8:00am: Breakfast & Welcome

8:00-9:15am: Session I - Keynote Speaker & APGNN Year in Review

8:00-9:00am: Keynote: When Healing Hurts: Moral Distress and the Unseen Impact of Reform in Pediatric Healthcare

          Dr. Paquette, MD, JD, MBe, HEC-C, FAAP - Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Objectives:
• Discuss how policy reform is contributing to moral distress for health care providers.
• Explore the psychological and professional consequences of moral distress on
healthcare providers, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and turnover
• Review therapeutic framework to utilize when moral distress and burnout occur
• Discuss the unique vulnerability of pediatric patients in ethically complex care
environments compared to adult populations
• Encourage interdisciplinary dialogue around balancing systemic reform with ethical
patient care, especially in the pediatric patient population

9:00-9:15am: APGNN Year in Review

      Kerry Reed, MS, RN, CPNP-PC, APGNN President 

9:15-9:30am: Committee Meetings & Break 

9:30-11:00am: Session II - Intestinal Rehab-The Long and the Short of Guts 

9:30-10:00am: From Learning to Living: Equipping Intestinal Failure Patients for Safe Discharge

          Jenn McClelland, BSN, MS, RN, FNP-BC- Boston Children’s Hospital 

Objectives:
• Illustrate a multi-disciplinary approach to identifying, educating and safely
discharging pediatric intestinal failure patients/caregivers, particularly those on home
parenteral nutrition.
• Describe inpatient education protocol designed to mitigate risks of hospital
readmissions, ambulatory CLABSI and CVC complications.
• Identify effective education techniques for patients/caregivers to manage high-risk
complex therapies at home. 

10:00-10:30am: Short Bowel Syndrome: A triage protocol       

          Speaker: TBD

Objectives:
• Briefly review common conditions in short bowel syndrome/intestinal failure patients
that require triage.
• Describe the role of the GI Nurse in developing and implementing a triage protocol
for patients with SBS
• Demonstrate the application of the triage protocol through case-based scenario(s)

10:30-11:00am: The Ins and Outs of Parenteral Nutrition

          Flori Brioni, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC - Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago

Objectives:
• Evaluate parenteral nutrition (PN) indications and assess associated risks.
• Discuss appropriate lab monitoring in PN patients.
• Highlight relevant PN additives and their clinical significance.
• Highlight nutritional additives that are unable to be added to PN solutions.
• Summarize safe prescribing of PN solutions.

11:00-12:00pm: Session III - The 101 on an APP Run Service

11:00-11:30am: Improving Outcomes for Patients with Pediatric Feeding Disorders (PFD) Transitioning from Hospital to Home: A Nurse Practitioner Led Service

          Jessica Owens, CPNP-PC, MSN - UNC Medical Center Chapel Hill

Objectives:
• Identify gaps in care between hospital to the home setting in patients with PFD
• Understand how early feeding interventions can improve outcomes in the 4 domains
of the PFD
• Identify measurable outcomes and areas for expansion of the NP led service

11:30-12:00pm:Transforming Inpatient Care: Implementing an APP-Lead Team in Hepatology/Liver Transplant.

         Jody D. Mackling, APRN, MSN, CPNP-AC, CPNP-PC - UT Southwestern Medical Center/Children’s Health

Objectives:
• Describe the rationale for implementing an APP-lead inpatient service, particularly in
high acuity service lines such as hepatology.
• Outline steps and considerations in the design, staffing, scheduling, and
operationalizing an effective APP inpatient team.
• Evaluate performance outcomes and sustainability through clinical metrics/outcomes,
patient experience and provider integration.

12:00-1:30pm: Lunch & Poster Session 

1:30-3:00pm: Session IV - Hot Topics 

1:30-2:00pm: Living Donor Liver Transplant: A Way to Work Towards Zero Waitlist Mortality

          Dr. Amy Feldman - Children’s Hospital Colorado

Objectives:
• Understand the various graft options for children in need of liver transplant
• Be aware of disparities that exist in pediatric liver transplantation
• Understand ways to advocate for each pediatric liver transplant candidate

2:00-2:30pm: Beyond the Hoofbeats

          Millie Boettcher, MSN, PPCNP-BC

Objectives:
• Review history of presenting symptoms of CODEs (congenital onset diarrhea and
enteropathies
• Discuss previous treatments and endoscopy findings
• Discuss WNT2B mutation
• Review of recent endoscopies and new diagnosis

2:30-3:00pm: Should We Be Freaking Out? Decoding the Drama Around Ultra Processed Foods, Seed Oils, Natural Flavors, and Food Dyes

          Venus Kalami, MNSP, RD, CSP - Venus Kalami Nutrition

Objectives:
• Define and demystify the science behind ultra processed foods, seed oils, natural flavors, and foods.
• Critically evaluate claims and concerns regarding these ingredients to separate fact from fiction.
• Explore practical frameworks to nutrition and lifestyle counseling that are evidence-based and human-centered.

3:00-3:30pm: APGNN Awards & Presentations - with snacks provided by APGNN

• Patient and Professional Education Award
• Poster of Distinction 
• Susan Moyer Research Grant 
  • Announcing current year's winner 
  • Grant update from 2024 prior winner

3:30-5:00pm: Session V - Updates in IBD

3:30-4:00pm: New Kids on the Block-Updates in IBD Medications

          Dr. Brent Polk - University of California/Rady Children’s San Diego

Objectives:
• Understand the differences across therapeutic targets in IBD
• List FDA approved drug treatments for pediatric IBD
• Identify two resources available for patients or providers to remain up to date on
FDA-approved IBD medications

4:00-4:30pm: Functional or Factual? Deciphering symptoms in IBD patients

          Emmala Ryan Waduge, FNP-C - Levine Children’s Hospital/Atrium Health

Objectives:
• Describe the clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of functional symptom
overlap in IBD patients
• Identify clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and imaging features that help distinguish
active inflammation from functional symptoms
• Explain the role of gut-brain axis, microbiome changes, visceral hypersensitivity, and
psychosocial factors.
• Explore evidence-based management strategies for functional symptoms in IBD
patients
• Recognize the impact of functional symptoms on patient quality of life and mental
health

4:30-5:00pm:  Young Guts, Hidden Risks: VTE Prevention in pediatric IBD

          Dr. Kim Chien - Weill Cornell Medicine New York

Objectives:
• Describe the pathophysiology and presentation of VTEs in IBD
• Discuss prevalence and incidence of VTEs in pediatric IBD
• Discuss risk factors of VTEs in pediatric IBD
• Discuss safety of VTE prophylaxis in children with IBD
• Discuss current recommendations for VTE prophylaxis in children in IBD

5:00-5:30pm:  Growing Pains - Transitioning your IBD Patient to Adult Care 

          Maureen Kelly, DNP, RN, CPNP- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Objectives:
• Identify three barriers to successful health maintenance and transition to adult care.
• Describe three health maintenance practices and their effect on transition of care.
• Discuss examples of content to be included in a health maintenance/transition clinic.
• Identify tools that can be used for transition assessment, planning and transfer.
• Explain the importance of planning for future health needs and identify resources for
support.

6:00pm: APGNN Social Event 

Saturday, November 8th - With concurrent NASPGHAN Sessions in the afternoon

8:00-8:30am: Communal Breakfast & Welcome

8:30-10:00am: Session V - Gastroenterology Procedures 

8:30-9:00am: Anorectal Manometry: What You Need to Know

          Carly Mondillo, RN, BSN, CPN & Kristen Beck, RN, BSN, CPN - Cincinnati Children’s

Objectives:
• Describe the basics of anorectal manometry
• Explain how to prepare patients and families for what to expect during an anorectal
manometry procedure

9:00-9:30am: Enhancing Bowel Preparations with Standard and Nonstandard Approaches

         Martha Sprague, CPNP & Lindsey Rosenblit, MSN, RN, FNP-BC - Boston Children’s

Objectives:
• Discuss the importance of effective and tolerable bowel preps in pediatric population
for diagnosis and management
• Briefly review standard bowel preps by weight
• Discuss special considerations/populations that merit modified preps
• Review special studies and their preps (motility / capsule studies)
• Discuss common questions and concerns that arise during the preps
• When to admit for prep, and how to start the process  

9:30-10:00am: Intestinal ultrasound: The Ideal Tool for Managing Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease

         Dr. Michael Dolinger - Mount Sinai Health System

Objectives:
• Describe the role of intestinal ultrasound (IUS) in the real-time assessment of disease
activity in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Compare the accuracy and utility of IUS with other imaging modalities and
monitoring tools
• Identify practical applications of IUS across clinical contexts in tight control
monitoring strategies to improve outcomes for children with IBD
• Understand IUS implementation strategies and access barriers USA 

10:00-10:30am: Break 

10:30am-12:00pm: Session VI - Reflux - Follow the Pathway 

10:30-11:00am: Beyond the Burp: Diagnostic Approach for Reflux in Children

          Dr. Llanos-Chea - UT Southwestern

Objectives:
• Explain the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying gastroesophageal reflux
(GER) in infants and children.
• Describe the various diagnostic tools and tests used to evaluate GER/GERD in
children, highlighting their indications, advantages, and limitations.
• Discuss the clinical approach to selecting appropriate diagnostic methods based on
age, symptoms, and severity, integrating evidence-based guidelines and current
pediatric gastroenterology practices.

11:00-11:30am:Treating GERD: Acid suppression and Beyond

          Dr. Seema Khan - Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford

Objectives:
• Describe the clinical efficacy, safety and limitations of standard acid suppressive
therapy
• Discuss complicated and refractory pediatric GERD
• Review the emerging pharmacological therapies including potassium competitive
acid blockers in GERD therapy
• Identify the role of procedural interventions in the management of GERD

11:30am-12:00pm: Reflux Hypersensitivity and Utilizing Neuromodulation  

          Dr. Shaunte McKay - Emory University School of Medicine

Objectives:
• To define advances in understanding the pathophysiology of reflux hypersensitivity
• To review clinical symptoms and diagnosis of reflux hypersensitivity
• To review current insights on neuromodulation treatment modalities for reflux
hypersensitivity

Joint APGNN/NASPGHAN Sessions after lunch 

12:00-2:00pm: Lunch & Poster Session 

2:00-6:00pm: Session VIII- APGNN/NASPGHAN Concurrent Sessions 

7:00-10:00pm: NASPGHAN/APGNN/CPNP Social Event 

> Anticipated CME: 11.75 ANCC contact hours

> Nurse Pharmacology Sessions - 3.0 CE Total

Full Program Agenda for NASPGHAN/APGNN/CPNP Annual Meeting available here