Call for Proposals

AAOHN 2009 Symposium & Expo

Orlando, FL  ♦  April 17-23, 2009

The American Association of Occupational Health Nurses, Inc. (AAOHN) invites you to share your expertise with colleagues in occupational and environmental health, safety and related disciplines by submitting a proposal to present an education activity or a poster presentation as part of the AAOHN 2009 Symposium & Expo.

The deadline for submission of proposals for workshops, lunch and learns and current sessions is June 30, 2008. 

The deadline for submission of poster presentations is March 1, 2009

Below are general information and links to forms you will need to submit your proposal.

Presentation Opportunities
Symposium Faculty Reimbursement
How to Submit a Proposal
Proposal Selection Criteria
Proposal Development Tips and Guidelines
Forms

PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITIES

Pre-Symposium Workshops

• Saturday-Monday, April 18-20
• Full-day workshops (six hours), 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Half-day workshops (three hours), 8-11:30 a.m. or 1-4:30 p.m.
• Maximum class size: 150 
• Audience limited to AAOHN members
• In-depth presentation on a single topic
• Teaching methods to include lecture, group discussion, role-play or other interactive strategies

Lunch and Learn Sessions

• Monday and Tuesday, April 20 and 21
• 90 minutes in length with 70 minutes for presentation
• Maximum class size: 125
• Audience limited to AAOHN members
• In-depth presentation on a single topic
• Teaching methods to include lecture, group discussion, role-play or other interactive strategies

General/Concurrent Sessions

• Presented Tuesday-Thursday, April 21-23 (90 minutes each)
• Maximum class size: 300
• Participation open to AAOHN members and other interested professionals
• Teaching method restricted to lecture with broad appeal, intensive information, applicability to practice and easy adaptation for the worksite
• National speaking experience preferred

Mary Louise Brown Poster Presentations (due March 1, 2009)

• Presented during AAOHN 2009 Symposium & Expo on Tuesday, April 21, 2009 
• Posters to present timely information on concepts, findings, programs and innovations in practice or research
• Eligible for the AAOHN Mary Louise Brown Practice or Research Awards selection process
• See Poster Submission Guidelines for Mary Louise Brown Practice/Research Awards 2009 for specifics

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SYMPOSIUM FACULTY REIMBURSEMENT

Workshops, Lunch & Learn Sessions and General/Concurrent Sessions

• Honorarium for one faculty member
• Travel allowance for one faculty member
• One night’s lodging for one faculty member (applicable to those residing outside the local conference area)
• Professional speakers with specific requirements must submit them in writing with the proposal.

Poster Presentations

• One complimentary Symposium-Proper registration (Tuesday-Thursday, April 21-23)

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HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

1. Download forms from the AAOHN Web site
2. Complete an Abstract Submission Form, Activity Outline and a Biographical Data Form
3. Submit completed forms electronically to proposals@aaohn.org.

• Deadline for submission of proposals for workshops, lunch and learns and concurrent sessions is June 30, 2008 
• E-mail notification of selection will be made in September 2008
• All completed proposals will be acknowledged and entered into the educational review process 
• Include information on forms for each faculty if there are multiple presenters
• Complete the vested interest section with explanation of listed interests
• List degrees, licenses, certifications and credentials as you wish them to appear in Symposium publications
• Dealine for submission of poster presentations is March 1, 2009. An email notification will be sent one month (but no later than March 15, 2009) after receipt of the poster proposal.

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PROPOSAL SELECTION CRITERIA

All proposals undergo a peer review process by the AAOHN Education Review Committee.  The following criteria is used for determining selection for presenting at the AAOHN 2009 Symposium & Expo education sessions. 

1. Strength of Proposal (40%)
   Abstract/Objectives/Content have merit and can be developed into a quality educational workshop or session.
2. Expertise of Presenters (25%)
   Presenters describe their qualifications on this topic (e.g. experience, research, publications and related presentations). Prior general presentation experience is required.
3. Topic Addresses Members’ Needs (25%)
   Subject matter is either supportive of an issue from the AAOHN 2008 Symposium & Expo needs assessment survey or a “cutting edge” issue(s) pertinent to occupational and environmental health, safety or related disciplines or message/speaker of great interest.
4. Marketability of Topic (10%)
   The reviewer rates their level of interest in attending this presentation as an indicator of general membership.

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PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT TIPS AND GUIDELINES

Step One – Selecting a Topic:

• Educational session topics can cover a broad range of issues related to occupational and environmental health, safety, professional role development, health promotion, research, leadership, business savvy, technology, regulations, advanced practice, public policy or other related issues. Start early and take time to research a topic and focus on its unique aspects as relates to occupational and environmental health.
• Poster presentations can highlight the efforts of nurses who have contributed to the advancement of occupational and environmental health & safety nursing or the occupational and environmental health & safety field through practice or research.   

Step Two – Writing an Abstract:

• Educational session and poster presentation abstracts written in a brief, well-organized and focused manner will allow the reviewers to immediately identify the contents of the educational session or poster presentation. An abstract narrative needs to: state the purpose and/or goal of your session/poster as it relates to occupational and environmental health & safety practice or research; identify the key topics that will be addressed; describe any special learning activities (if applicable); identify the audience targeted for this presentation; and indicate any prerequisite skills, experience, or knowledge that is required. Be sure to clarify the targeted audience, i.e., general, intermediate or advanced.
  
  (Please note all Poster Sessions are for the General Audience)

Step Three – Creating a Title:

• The title needs to reflect your educational session/poster presentation's content because it is the initial introduction to your abstract. If it does not reflect content, it may be misleading and actually detract from your abstract. You may want to consider having a colleague critique your title and abstract draft before submitting for review.

Step Four – Writing the Learning Objectives:

• Learning objectives are critical because they:  (1) reflect input from learners relative to educational needs; (2) determine the selection of content and teaching methods; and (3) provide a guide to the evaluation phase. The objectives are to be written in behavioral terms, stating what the learner will be able to do.  Limit your proposal to 2-3 objectives per 60-minutes of lecture or 2-3 objectives for a poster presentation.
• • Use verbs which describe an action that can be observed;
  • are measurable within the teaching time frame; and
  • describe the learner outcome, not the presenter’s process or approach.

* Use these action verbs with teaching methods that involve participants beyond a lecture/discussion approach, e.g., return skills demonstration, written/group exercise, etc.

Do Not Use words, such as the following, that describe mental responses, which cannot be measured, or terms that are broad, vague, difficult to measure, and permit a variety of interpretation:

Step Five – Submit your proposal:

• Submit completed forms electronically to proposals@aaohn.org.

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FORMS

Abstract Submission Form
Activity Outline
Biographical Data Form

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