"On Purpose" Taste of NTI, SAC AACN Spring Symposium
University of the Pacific (UOP), Sacramento
3200 5th Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95817
Friday, April 17, 2026 at 8:00am PT - 4:30pm PT
EDUCATIONInfo
Topic
Sepsis, AI, Hemodynamics, Heart Failure, Pulmonary Embolus, AACN President Rebekah Marsh
Credits Offered
This event offers
7.0 CE credits
to attendees.
Accreditation Info:
California BRN.
Additional Information
Please join us for a "Taste of NTI". This dynamic symposium will be featuring the National AACN President, Rebekah Marsh, BSN, RN,CCRN and the titans of sepsis Dr. Tom Ahrens and Dr. Michael Ackerman. If you have ever seen these two present sepsis at NTI you know this will be an amazing and educational presentation. Additional topics include AI, hemodynamics, heart failure and pulmonary embolism.
Registration Refund and Cancellation Policy
Refund Language
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sacramento Area Chapter, is a professional nursing organization approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing to award continuing education contact hours under provider name “AMERICAN ASSN/CR CARE NUR SACTO AREA CH”, license number 592.
Refund Policy
Requests for refunds and cancellation of registration must be made within 3 days of the event date unless otherwise stated on the event registration page. Refunds will be processed within 7 business days to the original payment method, minus a $25.00 processing fee for symposiums and certification review courses. Unfortunately, we cannot offer refunds for cancellations made within three days of the event start time. If you have extenuating circumstances (e.g., medical emergencies, natural disasters), please contact us directly at sacaacn@gmail.com to discuss possible accommodations.
Tickets are transferable with organization approval. Please contact us directly with the name of the desired ticket recipient to inquire about the possibility of transferring your ticket.
Nonattendance Policy
Registered persons who do not attend the event or do not attend the entirety of the event will not receive continuing education contact hours, as applicable to the event.
Event Cancellation Policy
In the event that the American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sacramento Chapter, cancels the event, registered attendees will receive a full refund of the ticket price. Refunds will be processed within 7 business days to the original payment method.
Content Changes Policy
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses, Sacramento Area Chapter, reserves the right to offer alternative content or speakers due to unforeseen personal emergencies of presenters prior to events or conferences.
Speakers
AACN President - Artist of Nursing
With a background in fine arts, I bring a creative spirit to my work as a second-career professional nurse and Clinical Nurse Educator. I am passionate about supporting the professional development of nurses, empowering them to drive evidence-based practice at the bedside, providing education and encouraging learning. I lead by enthusiastically embracing the nursing process and modeling professional commitment. With a background in fine arts, I bring a creative spirit to my work as a second-career professional nurse and Clinical Nurse Educator. I am passionate about supporting the professional development of nurses, empowering them to drive evidence-based practice at the bedside, providing education and encouraging learning. I lead by enthusiastically embracing the nursing process and modeling professional commitment.
Thomas S. Ahrens PhD RN FAAN was an advanced practice nurse and then a Research Scientist at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for 34 years. He has extensively published, including 5 books and over 100 scientific papers. He has been widely published in the application of technology to clinical practice. His work has particularly focused on identification and management of sepsis. His most recent work addresses the need to educate the public on infection prevention (e.g. cold, flu, pneumonia) in order to reduce the incidence of sepsis. He has developed clinical education web sites for nurses, respiratory therapists and physicians as well as the public. His book “Hemodynamic waveform analysis” is considered by many to be the finest clinical guide to the topic. His book “Essentials of Oxygenation” was an American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year. He was awarded a Presidential Citation by the Society of Critical Care Medicine. In 2004 was inducted into the American Academy of Nursing. He is a strong advocate for hospitalized families. He has published a research paper that demonstrated how improving communication with high risk patient families can improve both outcome and costs control. He has helped design communication programs and web sites to aid clinicians in discussions with families. In 2006 he was selected as an Edge Runner by the Academy, which is designated “for those people who are developing innovative solutions that eventually become mainstream solutions”. From 2006-2008 he was AACN’s representative to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. Since 2009, he has been AACN’s representative for the Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC), with the goal to establish a research agenda for critical care in the US. In 2008 he was award the “Flame of Excellence” award from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses for sustained and influential work in critical care.
Director, Master of Healthcare Innovation program
Ohio State University
Michael Ackerman is currently the Director of the Master in Healthcare Innovation Program and Professor of Clinical Nursing at The Ohio State University. Mike has held just about every role in nursing a nurse could hold including Candy Striper to Senior Director. His entire career has been in the critical care arena from staff nurse, nurse manager, clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner and most recently Senior Director of Nursing. He has over 50 publications as well as several funded studies. In addition, he has held leadership roles in a number of academic settings. Mike has a passion for critical care nursing as well as innovation. This is evident in his much sought after presentations on a variety of critical care topics in critical care. He also has a passion for the “Crucial Conversations” program which he has implemented in two of his recent institutions. This implementation has been a catalyst in much of Mike’s work in the area of culture change. Mike is a disruptive innovator, a skilled clinician, avid researcher, motivational speaker and caring leader. Leading from the bedside has been a consistent theme in Mike’s career. When he is not busy following his work passion he spends time with his family as well as various athletic activities. www.ackerman.healthcare
Internal Medicine Physician
I completed my Internal Medicine residency at North Alabama Medical Center. I have a deep passion for preventive medicine, primary care, and academic medicine. In addition to patient care, I am actively involved in oncology research, with a strong publication record. I thrive in collaborative settings, working alongside experienced researchers and mentoring aspiring medical professionals to foster growth and innovation. I’m always open to new opportunities in medical research, whether through active project participation, peer-reviewing, or exploring fresh ideas. If you have a collaboration in mind, I’d love to connect! Giving back to the medical community is a cornerstone of my journey. I actively seek opportunities to volunteer, mentor, and participate in initiatives that create meaningful impact. Outside of medicine, I am a nature enthusiast with a love for trekking, running, and gardening—activities that keep me grounded and inspired.