Last week, the University of Utah College of Nursing proudly sponsored the 2024 Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. With the theme "Health and Equity in Changing Environmental and Social Climates," the conference echoed the college's vision to promote well-being for all.
Dean of the College of Nursing Marla De Jong, PhD, RN, CCNS, FAAN took part in the conference by presenting “When Water Use and Public Health Collide: The Human Health Implications of the Great Salt Lake’s Collapse,” alongside Ben Abbott, PhD, Associate Professor of Environmental Science & Sustainability at Brigham Young University, on the opening day of the conference.
"The presentations by Dr. Ben Abbott (BYU) and Dr. Marla DeJong emphasized the challenges climate change is bringing to our communities – and that nurses can and should be on the frontlines of addressing climate change. That means we need to weave environmental health through our curriculum so that our students are prepared to address these challenges."
More than 100 College of Nursing faculty, staff, students, and pre- and post-doctoral fellows presented podium and poster sessions alongside poster displays of their research and scholarship. Conference sessions covered topics such as rural nursing workforce development, innovations in technology, integrating sustainability into nursing curricula, and mental health disparities. Poster presentations included titles ranging from “Increasing Referrals to Diabetic Self-Management Education Programs” to “Improvement of Methamphetamine Use Disorder Treatment in Primary Care.”
"Attending this years’ Western Institute of Nursing conference in Salt Lake City was like rediscovering our hometown in a new light, buzzing with the exchange of innovative ideas and rigorous science. Connecting with our nursing colleagues from academic and clinical settings throughout the West was a joy."
At the conference, Lauri Linder, PhD, APRN, CPON, FAAN, FAPHON, and Perry Gee, PhD, RN, FAAN were inducted into the Western Academy of Nurses, a body established to recognize and honor nurses who have been actively engaged in WIN and who have demonstrated excellence in nursing research, practice, and/or education. Scott S. Christensen, PhD, MBA, APRN, ACNP-BC received the Carol A. Lindeman Award for a New Researcher.
“At the WIN conference, I met someone who was actively engaged in the same area of research as me but whose perspective on the topic differed from mine. Meeting someone who could help balance my views and biases while potentially functioning as a future collaborator was exciting! Such connections do not occur by chance; palpable synergy can come when Western United States nurses meet to network and share their findings.”
Attending WIN was a revitalizing experience - helping me reconnect with the bigger picture of academic nursing and its connection to research, education, and practice. It helped me connect with other nurses and educators who are experiencing the same successes and challenges.
The College of Nursing recognizes the crucial work of individuals from the college whose expertise and involvement made this significant gathering of nurse leaders possible, including Board of Governor Representative of Nursing Research Paula M. Meek, PhD, RN, FAAN; Program Committee members, Linda Edelman, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN, Perry Gee, PhD, RN, FAAN, Lauri Linder, PhD, APRN, CPON, FAAN, FAPHON, and Paula Meek, PhD, RN, FAAN; and nine abstract reviewers.