All times listed in Eastern Time (US & Canada).
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Saturday, October 11, 2025

• 7:00am - 8:00am

  Registration & Continental Breakfast

• 8:00am - 9:00am

  Keynote: What they don't know will hurt you

  Gale Adcock is a family nurse practitioner in her second term in the North Carolina Senate following 8 years in the state House and 7 years on the Cary, NC town council. Adcock is the first advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) to serve in the NC 170-member legislature and the first nurse to serve in the state Senate. Senator Adcock models collaboration among individuals of different experiences, perspectives, and ideologies, describing her style of bipartisanship as “living in the aisle.” She has championed legislation to expand access to care and remove barriers to practice for pharmacists, physician assistants, therapists, psychologists, and APRNs. She believes clinicians’ skill in patient advocacy is their roadmap for policy influence at every level
  1.0 CE Credit

  At the conclusion of this session, the participant will be able to describe the skills NPs already possess that make NPs effective advocates. Additionally, this session will highlight DCNP's lobby and advocacy programs. This session will help participants identify an individual and one collective action to advance their role as an advocate. NPs advocate for their patients; they can advocate for their profession as well. Gale Adcock can combine her skills and experiences as an NP and a state legislator to help her audience champion themselves.

• 9:00am - 10:00am

  Pharmacologic Management of Diabetes Across the Lifespan

  Stacy L. Thomas, DNP, APRN, FNP-C is a combat veteran with 23 years of military service and a seasoned Family Nurse Practitioner at Beebe Healthcare’s Millsboro Family Practice Clinic. She delivers full-spectrum, evidence-based care across the lifespan and serves as a clinical preceptor for graduate nursing students in primary care. Dr. Thomas earned both her DNP and MSN from Duke University and is deeply involved in advancing APRN leadership and education in Delaware. She serves as the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Director on the Board of Directors for the Delaware Nurses Association and as Education Committee Chair for the Delaware Organization for Nursing Leadership. Additionally, she is a peer reviewer for The Journal of Doctoral Nursing Practice. Her professional passions include clinical education, nursing advocacy, quality improvement, and health policy, and she is dedicated to supporting APRNs through leadership, mentorship, and lifelong learning
  1.0 CE Credit

  This pharmacology-focused presentation provides an in-depth review of diabetes management across the lifespan, highlighting the unique therapeutic needs at each stage of life. Participants will explore how age-related changes influence drug absorption, metabolism, and excretion, and how these factors affect the efficacy and safety of antidiabetic medications. The session will cover first-line therapies, insulin regimens, newer drug classes, and individualized treatment plans, with special attention to pediatric dosing, pregnancy, and polypharmacy in older adults. Practical case studies and current clinical guidelines will support application to real-world practice.

• 10:00am - 10:30am

  Break with Exhibitors

• 10:30am - 11:30am

  Session 3

  tbd
  1.0 CE Credit

• 11:30am - 12:30pm

  Session 4

  1.0 CE Credit

• 12:30pm - 1:30pm

  Complimentary Lunch & Visit with Exhibitors

• 1:30pm - 2:30pm

  Session 5

  1.0 CE Credit

• 2:30pm - 3:30pm

  Session 6

  1.0 CE Credit

• 3:30pm - 3:45pm

  Break

• 3:45pm - 5:00pm

  Addressing Spine Pain and Opioid Use: Safe, Effective Strategies for Modern Pain Management

  Selina Xing, MD—board-certified in Interventional Pain Management and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation—and Travis McKay, DC—Clinic Director of Advanced Back & Neck Pain Center and President of the Newark-based nonprofit Hands for Life Omega Drive—for an in-depth discussion on evidence-based, non-opioid approaches to spine pain management. Both are active members of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Addiction Action Committee.
  1.25 CE Credits

  Spine pain remains one of the most prevalent and burdensome health conditions in the United States, with the CDC estimating that over 100 million individuals experience an episode annually. Beyond its direct impact, the condition is closely tied to opioid prescribing patterns. Research indicates that up to 61% of patients with spine-related pain receive an opioid prescription, with approximately 19% developing long-term use as a result.
  While Delaware has made notable progress in addressing opioid misuse, overdose rates at both the state and national levels have surged in recent years. This underscores the urgent need for clinical strategies that effectively manage chronic spine pain without reliance on opioid medications.

  This session will equip healthcare providers with practical tools and clinical insights to guide safe prescribing practices, determine when and how to avoid opioid use, and implement effective alternative therapies for improving patient outcomes.