44th Annual Barrow Neuroscience Nursing Symposium
Local Roots, Global Reach
Course Goal
This symposium, “Local Roots, Global Reach,” explores the comprehensive care continuum for neurological patients. From initial presentation through long-term recovery, experts will dive into best practices, cutting-edge advancements, and persistent challenges in neuroscience nursing. Expect to gain actionable insights on fostering collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to enhance patient outcomes at every stage of their journey.
Objectives
Attendees will be able to:
- Apply evidence-based interventions for managing agitation in neurological patients
- Identify advancements in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) care across the continuum
- Describe the evolution and impact of Magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology in epilepsy diagnosis and management
- Summarize key surgical approaches used in contemporary neurosciences
- Discuss global health disparities and the impact of international neuro-consultations (e.g., Tanzania)
- Analyze the neurological and ENT-specific risks and benefits of select ENT interventions, considering impacts on cranial nerve function and rehabilitation
- Evaluate the efficacy of medication management approaches for neurological conditions, incorporating evidence and expert opinions from various speakers
- Apply neuroimaging principles to analyze case studies of ischemic stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and subdural hematoma, using interactive digital platforms for enhanced advocacy and visibility
Registration Information
| Early Bird (Before 10/06/26) | Late registration (after 10/06/26) | |
|---|---|---|
| Dignity Health Employee- Single Day | $105.00 | $115.00 |
| Dignity Health Employee- Both Days | $170.00 | $180.00 |
| Visiting Health Care Professional- Single Day | $130.00 | $140.00 |
| Visiting Health Care Professional- Both Days | $205.00 | $215.00 |
Nursing Credits Available
The hours obtained by attending this CE event can be used toward recertification for CNRN and SCRN.
In-Person
October 20-21, 2026
Date, Time, and Location
In Person
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 20-21, 2026
Goldman Auditorium
Barrow Neurological Institute
2910 North 3rd Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85013
Target Audience
Health care professionals specializing in the field of neuroscience, including all levels of nurses and other professionals involved in various outpatient and inpatient clinical settings.
Agenda and Speaker Information
All times refer to Arizona time (Mountain Standard Time).
| Time | Topic | SPeaker |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 AM-4:00 PM | Tuesday, October 20 | |
| 7:30 AM | Registration and Coffee | |
| 7:50 AM | Welcome | Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP |
| 8:05 AM | The Barrow Women’s Board Keynote: Nurses in the Media: A Digital Innovation for Advocacy and Visibility | Rachel Malloy, DNP, RN, CNRN, SCRN |
| 9:05 AM | Knowledge Donor Program | Kayla Gray, MS, CCRP, PhD(c) |
| 9:45 AM | Break | |
| 10:15 AM | Decoding Intent, Restoring Independence: The Translational Evolution of Invasive Brain-Computer Interfaces | Brandon Fox, MD, PhD |
| 10:45 AM | Servant Leadership in Barrow Clinical Research | Lori Wood RN, MSN-L, CPHN |
| 11:15 AM | On the Other Side of the Rail | Noland Arbaugh, Patient |
| 11:45 AM | Lunch Break | |
| 12:45 PM | Spine Surgical Robotics: What You Need to Know | Laura Snyder, MD |
| 1:15 PM | Beyond Prone: Navigating Patient Positioning in Complex Spine Cases | Mollee Deason, BSN, RN |
| 1:45 PM | Spinal Surgery Patients – The Fundamentals of Postoperative Nursing Care | Tom Rowe, FNP-BC, CNRN |
| 2:00 PM | Break | |
| 2:30 PM | Long Days. Short Years. | Cyrus Elahi, MD |
| 3:00 PM | Functional Neurological Disorder: Breaking the Stigma | Danielle Sweeney Neurology Clinical Nurse Specialist |
| 3:15 PM | TBI Agitation Management | Cynthia Bautista, PhD, APRN, FNCS, FCNS |
| 4:00 PM | Adjourn | |
| 7:30 AM-4:00 PM | Wednesday, October 21 | |
| 7:30 AM | Registration and Coffee | |
| 7:50 AM | Welcome | Virginia Prendergast, PhD, NP |
| 8:05 AM | Warren & Mary Jane Crist Foundation Keynote: Using Humor to Enhance Care for Neuroscience Patients | Cynthia Bautista, PhD, APRN, FNCS, FCNS |
| 9:00 AM | From Scan to Strategy: Inside Barrow CNS Tumor Board | Nader Sanai, MD Yosie Umemura, MD William Kennedy, MD, Jennifer Eschbacher, MD Kendall Felix, RN, BSN, CNRN, SCRN |
| 9:30 AM | Neuroimaging for Stroke: What All Neuro Nurses Need to Know | Rachel Malloy, DNP, RN, CNRN, SCRN |
| 10:00 AM | Break | |
| 10:30 AM | When Swallowing Competes: Dysphagia Under Cognitive Load | Kelsey Raab, MS, CCC-SLP |
| 11:00 AM | Out of the Shadows: An approach to Psychogenic Non-Epileptic Seizures | Ryan Wagner, MD, MSc, PhD |
| 11:15 AM | Spoken Truths and Heard Interpretations: Decoding the Diagnosis | Madona Plueger, MSN, APRN, ACNS-BC, CNRN, FAES |
| 11:30 AM | Other Side of the Rail | Patient |
| 12:00 AM | Lunch Break | |
| 1:00 PM | Magnetoencephalography | Vladimir Shvarts, MD, FACNS |
| 1:30 PM | Between Awareness and Uncertainty: Approaches to Care for Patients with Disorders of Consciousness | Mark Linsenmeyer, MD |
| 2:00 PM | Clinical Practice Within Constraints: A Collaborative Model of Neuroscience Nursing in Tanzania | Mackenzie Granitz, BSN, RN, CNRN, SCRN |
| 2:30 PM | Break | |
| 3:00 PM | Raíces: Connecting Through Hispanic Culture in Healthcare | Jessica Adame, MSN-Ed, RN, SCRN, CNRN |
| 3:30 PM | Cochlear Implants at 65: Where We’ve Been and Where We’re Going | Shawn Stevens, MD |
| 4:00 PM | Adjourn |
Conference Planning Committee
- Jessica Adame, MSN-Ed, RN, SCRN, CNRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
- Michelle Belusic, MSN, APRN, AGCNS-BC, CNRN, CCRN
- Neuroscience Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Mackenzie Granitz, BSN, RN, CNRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
- Elise Henling, BSN, RN, CRRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
- Ivana Marincic, BSN, RN, CNRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
- Lisel McLellan, MSN, RN, CNOR
- Neuroscience OR Nurse Educator
- Madona Plueger, MSN, APRN, CNRN, ACNS-BC, FAES
- Neuroscience Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Ina Reynolds, BSN, RN, CCRN, CNRN, SCRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
- Erin Tucker, BSN, RN, CNRN
- Neuroscience Nurse Educator
Commercial Support
No commercial support has been received.
Exhibitors and Sponsors
Those interested in exhibiting or sponsorship should contact CME@BarrowNeuro.org for more information.
Disclosure Information
No disclosures at this time.