I receive countless announcements for annual meetings promising can't-miss sessions and must-see speakers. This fall I have to decide between eight meetings, not counting numerous gatherings of state associations and specialty societies. With your limited funds and even more limited time, how do you decide which conference, if any, is best for you or your employees?

Pick and choose
First look at the education sessions offered at the meeting. I determine who'll benefit most from the majority of the sessions. Do I know the speakers? Ask your colleagues about the experts presenting at the conference. Are they familiar with the quality of the talks? Will the presenters provide tools for the attendees to take back to the center? Are CEUs, AEUs or CMEs offered? I prefer meetings that offer many breakout sessions, allowing the attendee to select from a variety of topics to create a meeting that addresses her specific needs.

Also look for conferences with specific education programs outlined. Avoid vague class headings like "Budget Development" or "Infection Control." Look instead for sessions covering "The Pathway to Performance and Profitability" or "Surface Disinfection for the OR." A conference's quality is paramount when deciding to allocate staff and financial assets. Make sure you know what you're getting. In general, the more detailed the syllabus, the more useful the class.

Most facilities have little to no education budget, so cost is a huge consideration when deciding to send staff to overnight conferences. The cost of a conference isn't limited to the registration fee. Travel, hotel and meals add significant costs per attendee.

I ask employees to present a cost proposal that includes the registration fee, airline costs, hotel costs and an estimate of meal expenses. That puts the responsibility for research on the staff, and it lets them see firsthand how much money the center will spend on the trip. Seeing the total expense in black and white is an effective reminder for the attendee to take the time spent in the meeting hall seriously.

Who will go?
Take the temperature of your staff. Where are you lacking? Does your business office need to improve its collection rate of accounts receivables? Did your latest quality improvement review reveal lagging infection control scores? Instead of blindly sending staff to conferences held in appealing cities, target a need and match it against the courses offered.

Regardless of position within the center, I make staff earn the right to attend. A manager doesn't get an automatic bid; many staff nurses are worthy attendees. I strongly consider sending employees already active in their professional associations, like AORN and ASPAN. I'll consider nurses who attend monthly meetings, local education offerings or are certified and need CE credits to fulfill annual requirements. Those are the dedicated professionals within your center, and the ones who'll get the most out of attending a national conference.

To truly benefit from sending a nurse to a national conference, demand attendees bring back useful tools and knowledge to share with the entire staff. Many speakers offer templates of spreadsheets or checklists that coincide with the message of their talks. Often, CDs of the entire meeting are available, letting staff review complete talks throughout the year. At large conferences spanning several days, the schedule is packed with informative courses that one person can't possibly cover alone. In those instances, a CD of the proceedings is hugely valuable.

To ensure attendees actively participate in the offerings of a conference, I ask each to present an in-service to the center's staff upon their return. If they went to a national, multi-day meeting, they may have to present on more than one topic. Those who didn't attend deserve to benefit from the knowledge obtained by the nurse who did go to the conference.

Conferences are a lot of work when taken seriously. I go to many meetings over the course of the year and attend as many education sessions as possible. But one of the most useful and enjoyable aspects of attending a conference involves networking with colleagues and industry experts. I not only encourage, but demand nurses to reach out to fellow attendees. I ask them to say hello to neighbors during each session, exchange business cards and meet for lunch or an evening drink. It is during informal conversations that the best ideas are exchanged and bonds made that expand professional networks. My BlackBerry is filled with wonderful and truly helpful people I've met at meetings.

Opportunity knocks
Centers typically don't have education budgets, so meetings can be overlooked. That's a shame, as there are excellent offerings in our market. I believe there is tremendous benefit in reaching out and learning from others, and you'll get a return on your investment by sharing the knowledge with the entire staff through in-services or tool implementation. Conferences are plentiful this fall, so consider your options carefully and choose the meetings that will reap the greatest rewards for your facility.