Turning SINI’s I Toward Innovation
August 3, 2022
Innovation underscored every aspect of this year’s 31st annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI), hosted entirely virtually for the second consecutive year on July 14 - 15 by the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). The conference, themed “Embracing Health Care Complexity Through Informatics Innovations,” welcomed nearly 150 participants worldwide for a two-day schedule full of keynote presentations and three tracks of health care informatics information focused on Patient Care Management, Precision Medicine, and Informatics Education. Poster presentations; a fireside chat about informatics platforms; and Application Alley, a spotlight on health care app design, rounded out the agenda.
Jane M. Kirschling, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Bill and Joanne Conway Dean of the University of Maryland School of Nursing, welcomed attendees and thanked Barb Van de Castle, DNP ’14, ACNS, OCN, RN-BC, UMSON assistant professor, and Charlotte Seckman, PhD, RN-BC, FAAN, retired UMSON associate professor, who served as co-chairs of this year’s event, in addition to the other 14 members of the planning committee.
“This is a noteworthy year,” Kirschling said. “It is our second completely virtual conference and although last year’s virtual institute was precipitated by the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, the benefits of being virtual quickly became clear. One of the most significant was the ability to more easily engage colleagues from around the United States and internationally.” She also made mention of a uniquely 2022 phenomenon, adding: “I must say, as we look at the state of air travel this summer, I think we can be doubly appreciative of this virtual format.”