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This conference and sessions were created by KPA for nurses, nurse practitioners, midwives, social workers, physicians, or other interested perinatal professionals.
Complete the conference evaluation and get your certificate here!
You must have a Training Hub account to complete the evaluation and receive your certificate.
Access and complete your assigned courses by logging in to the Training Hub and visiting the ‘My Account’ page
KPA members who attend the conference will be assigned the ‘2022 Annual Conference | Post-Conference Evaluation’ course within one week of the conference. You will have one month to complete the evaluation(s) in order to receive your certificate(s).
Get Your Contact Hours!
The Kentucky Board of Nursing and Kentucky Board of Social Work have approved:
Day 1 of this course to be 6.0 contact hours
KBN Provider #2-0006-12-23-001
Exp. 12/31/23
Day 2 of this course to be 4.4 course hours
KBN Provider #2-0006-12-23-002
Exp. 12/31/23
Social Worker Credits
NASW-KY is an approved provider for social work credits through the KY BSW.
NASWKY#060522
Day 1 – 5.5 contact hours
Day 2 – 3.5 contact hours
Contact kyperinatal@aol.com for additional information.
For a full list of frequently asked questions, visit the FAQs page.
Executive Director
At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:
· Discuss the trends in infant mortality worldwide, in the US, and Kentucky.
· List the major causes of infant mortality in Kentucky and the changes over time.
· Determine an appropriate prevention measure or strategy directed to the prevalent causes of infant mortality statewide and in their community.
· Describe the ESC Care Tool and results of the recently published ESC trial.
· Discuss implementation of ESC in a hospital setting.
· Describe the effects of prenatal opioid exposure on the brain and neurodevelopment.
· Identify how to locate moms in need of NOWS education and what to provide.
· Discuss how best to support them throughout pregnancy, hospital stay, and postpartum.
· Implement ACIP vaccination recommendations for pregnant women.
· Implement ACIP vaccination recommendations for infants during the first six weeks of life.
· Identify pregnant women with hepatitis B.
· Create programs to support the care and treatment of infants born to hepatitis B mothers.
· Explore Kentucky’s perinatal hepatitis C data and how providers can help improve these statistics for children in the Commonwealth.
· Discuss updated CDC testing recommendations for hepatitis C among prenatally exposed infants and children.
· Discuss reporting guidelines for perinatal hepatitis C in Kentucky.
· Discuss both global and state epidemiology of syphilis and congenital syphilis.
· Describe physiology of syphilis transmission related to stages of disease and risk in pregnancy.
· Discuss barriers to testing and treatment.
· Describe three effective Public Health approaches to reducing congenital syphilis.
· List strategies to support and care for the physical and nutritional needs of high-risk neonates
·Discuss the definition and diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
·Discuss outcomes and interventions available for treatment of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
·List strategies to reduce child fatalities and/or abuse and neglect, specifically in children under the age of 5.
·Identify at least one key point from each session of the conference, which you will take back to share with your colleagues/community.
The Kentucky Board of Nursing has approved:
Day 1 of this course to be 6.2 contact hours. KBN Provider #2-0006-12-25-001
Day 2 of this course to be 3.8 contact hours. KBN Provider #2-0006-12-25-002 Social work education hours have been applied for.
7 AM: Breakfast and Registration
8:00 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks Gary Walls (15 min)
8:15 AM: Infant Mortality in Kentucky: Where Are We and Can We Do Better? Henrietta Bada, MD, MPH (30 min)
8:50 AM: Prenatal Opioid Exposure and the ESC Care Tool. Stephanie Merhar, MD & Lucy Rolfes, RN (90 min)
10:20 – 10:55 AM Break & visit vendors
10:55 AM: Immunizations During Pregnancy and Infancy Amy Herrington, DNP, RN, CEN & Jordan Murphy, MPH (50min)
11:45 AM: Congenital Syphilis Connie White, MD (50 min)
12:35 – 1:30 PM: Lunch & visit vendors
1:30 PM: Nourishment and Care of the Late Preterm and Other High Risk Neonates Laura Serke RD, CSPCC, LD, IBCLC; Amber Valentine Forster, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, IBCLC,CNT Rhonda Caldwell, PT (90 min)
3:00 PM—End of Day Wrap-up & Evaluations
7 AM: Breakfast and Registration
8:15 AM: Annual Business Meeting Gary Walls (15 min)
8:30 AM: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Tonia Reid, MD & Allana Oak, DO (90 min)
10:00 AM-10:30 Break & visit vendors
10:30 AM: Post-Partum Depression and Anxiety Molly Harris CSW (50 min)
11:20 AM Wrap up and Call to Action Kathy Hager, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, CDE (50 min)
12:10– Final Day Wrap Up & Evaluations
David H. Adamkin, MD is an Emeritus Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville. He served as Director of the Division of Neonatology and Director of the Neonatal Fellowship Program for 25 years. His research interests include Neonatal Nutrition and Neonatal Hypoglycemia. He has authored over 120 peer-reviewed publications, 45 book chapters, and 5 books. He continues to work with industry on the development of donor human milk and the fortification of human milk. In 2009, he received an Honoris Causa from Poznan University of Medical Sciences for his work in Poland over 20 years in Neonatal Education. He received education awards from the Southern Society for Pediatric Research in New Orleans and the Avroy Fanaroff Education Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Perinatal Section. He currently serves as President of the Southeastern Association of Neonatologists.
Lori Devlin, DO, MHA, MS is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. She is a practicing neonatologist with a strong interest in both research and education. Dr. Devlin has served as a lead investigator for two studies supported by the Advancing Clinical Trials in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (ACT NOW) Collaborative and has published in the area of NAS/NOWS. Her other research interests include perinatal infections and exposures and neurodevelopmental outcomes. She is currently a M-PI for the Louisville IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN) site. She was the Neonatal Fellowship Director from 2015-2021 and has enjoyed being able to combine education and research locally and through her participation with the ISPCTN.
Dr. Stephanie Gusler is an Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children. She completed her predoctoral internship at the Medical University of South Carolina where she implemented evidence-based interventions for trauma, including Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). She received her Doctorate in Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Kansas in 2021. Dr. Gusler’s current work includes providing trauma-informed interventions to youth and families as well as providing trainings to professionals on topics such as Secondary Traumatic Stress.
Dr. Allana Oak is a Past-President and Board member of the Kentucky Perinatal Association. She is the lead physician of the St. Elizabeth Physicians Laborist/OB Hospitalist group and site director of the University of Kentucky/NKY College of Medicine Obstetric Clerkship. She completed her medical degree at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine followed by residency in Family Medicine/OB fellowship at St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Edgewood, KY. She is the mother of 3 (but raising 4) children ages 16, 17, 18 and 19. Hobbies include wellness and nutrition, CrossFit, weightlifting, sports, traveling and photography. She is passionate about providing care to underserved moms and babies.
Dr. Samantha Port, a nurse of 23 years, received her ADN,BSN, MSN and DNP from Western Kentucky University. She also has an MBA from Campbellsville University. She is Director of Quality, Risk Management and Patient Safety at Spring View Hospital in Lebanon, Kentucky. Her past positions included perinatal staff nurse, staff educator and Director. She is certified in Inpatient Obstetrics, Electronic Fetal Monitoring, Patient Safety, Healthcare Quality, Risk Management , Obstetric and Neonatal Quality and Safety. Dr. Port's passion is ensuring the culture of her hospital has a focus on quality, safety and satisfaction. She also is the current Secretary/Treasurer for Kentucky AWHONN and serves on the Board of Kentucky Perinatal Association and is past president. She resides in Campbellsville,Kentucky where she enjoys her family and farm.
Dr. Christina Howard is a pediatrician that is also board certified in Child Abuse Pediatrics. She developed and serves as Chief of the Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine at the University of Kentucky in 2015 and will be opening the Kosair Charities Center for Safe and Healthy Children and Families in 2023. Her team consists of physicians, APP, Forensic RNs, mental health specialists and a patient navigator. She also serves as faculty with the UK School of Public Health Kentucky Injury Prevention Research Center (KIPRC) and is consultant for the Department of Public Health for Child Fatality Review and Pediatric Injury Prevention
Tonya Jernigan is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the Division of Pediatric Forensic Medicine with UK Healthcare Department of Pediatrics. She obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. She has experience working with families impacted by substance misuse, intimate partner violence, mental illness and trauma and child maltreatment. Her current work includes serving as part of an interdisciplinary team evaluating child maltreatment as well as grant writing and community engagement to increase awareness of child maltreatment and build resilience in Kentucky’s families.
Pat started her career as a nurse, receiving her Masters in Science of Nursing from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro. A past president of the Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina; she is also a former recipient of the North Carolina Nursing Excellence Award. While living in New Mexico, she became a life coach and received a certificate of coaching from Coach U. She is a graduate from ‘The Academy of Spiritual Formation’ and received a Certificate in Christian Education from Asbury Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Pat is also a certified lay minister for the New River Valley United Methodist Church. She currently writes a weekly blog for The Southwest Times and hosts a “Monday Morning podcast” entitled “Let the Journey Begin.” Pat is a member of The John Maxwell Leadership Team as well as a chaplain for The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team which deploys when needed to devastated areas around the country. While well known for her women’s ministry, her latest venture has been to purchase a home on the banks of Little River in the town of Snowville, Virginia. This home is used for retreats, support groups, sabbaticals, prayer vigils and Bible studies. Pat travels the country speaking and teaching in healthcare settings about Purposeful Living and Maintaining Resilience in Difficult Times. Her recently published book, “A Journey to Faith: Faith House”, is available on Amazon.com.
Dr. Tonia Reid is the current president of the Kentucky Perinatal Association. She is the medical director and one of the neonatologist at Baptist Health Lexington. She has a passion for helping to improve care for infants in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. She comes today to talk about vaccine hesitancy because during her clinical time since COVID she noticed an increasing numbers of vaccines being declined in the newborn nursery and NICU. She is hopeful that she can share what she is learning as she tries to improve vaccine acceptance in her hospital.
Henrietta S. Bada, MD, MPH is Director of the Division of Maternal and Child Health of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. She received her MPH at the University of South Florida. She is also Professor of Pediatrics, College of Medicine University of Kentucky, an educator and researcher in areas of brain disorders and perinatal addiction.
Gary has been a member of the Kentucky Perinatal Association since its incorporation in 1989, founded by Dr. David H. Adamkin, MD. Soon afterwards, he was designated as the annual convention planner. He then followed charter Treasurer, John Luhrenson in 1996 under the Presidency of Dr. Tom Pauly, until being appointed in 2004 as Executive Director by then President, Dr. John Morrison.
Laura Senn received her BSN and her MSN from the University of Phoenix. Her entire career has been focused on perinatal care and improving outcomes for both mothers and babies. She retired from hospital care but remains active in organizations promoting excellence in perinatal care, such as Kentucky AWHONN and our own Kentucky Perinatal Association. Laura is President-elect for Kentucky Perinatal Association.