ICS is the best conference for nurses who specialise in continence care. It's the "must attend" for those who want to be at the forefront of their field by understanding the latest research evidence and future direction of developments to inform their practice. I've been an ICS member since 2010 and attended 4 meetings and am going to Tokyo!
The ICS scientific meeting brings together global experts, from all continents and disciplines. Because it combines all the disciplines there is something for everyone and lots to choose from – sometimes it is difficult to get to everything you plan because there is so much to choose from, so to get the most from the programme it makes sense to plan what you want to attend before you arrive.
The Scientific Committee have created 5 discipline tracks to help you get a better feel for which sessions are relevant to you. To help you view these tracks we have created an easy to ready schedule at a glance which has colour coded sessions. So take a look at the programme in this new view and start planning your sessions. The ICS mobile app will be launched soon and you can use that to save your favourite sessions and be reminded on where to go!
Sessions of potential interest to most nurses are often in the conservative management tracks of the programme, although personally I often attend the urology and bowel dysfunction tracks as well and I encourage you to go to as many different sessions as you can. However I am looking forward to the following sessions in particular this year:
Discussion poster sessions - these allow you to meet the researchers in small groups as they present their work.
6th International Consultation on Incontinence - an added bonus this year is the free entry to the ICI sessions, where the latest evidence and recommendations for practice will be presented, before they are published next year.
SOA lectures - the lecture entitled Metabolic syndrome and LUTS, followed by a roundtable on self-management – evidence and practice is not to be missed.
Workshops - I am very interested in the E-health in pelvic floor disorders workshop on Tues 13th Sep 1.30-3pm which will involve exciting discussions about novel approaches to enable women to self-manage their stress UI using technology including smartphone apps – something very new and exciting.
More workshops! - there is also a full workshop on the use of a bio-psych-social model approach for bladder pain syndrome on Tues 13th 1.30-4.30 which will be a state-of the art discussion looking at the comprehensive needs of this group who experience such personal challenges with their condition and are equally challenging to care for effectively.
More roundtables! - the round table on Difficult defecation and constipation will be a must for me as there are great speakers addressing this important but neglected topic and I know I will learn about the very latest knowledge and research in this area in an accessible and stimulating session.
Networking - participating in the free nurses Workshop (13:00-14:30) and nurses forum (14:30-17:45) on Wed. Sept 14 organised by the ICS Nursing Committee is always a great opportunity to catch up with current nursing interests and reacquaint with colleagues - not to be missed!"
So why attend ICS 2016 if you are a nurse? It provides a unique opportunity to really explore in depth any continence-related subject, from the workshop series, where "fundamental- to-advanced-level" education is provided, to state of the art lectures where the most recent theories and evidence are brought together in an accessible presentation: they are usually packed!
It is also really good fun attending the conference with lots of networking, making new friends and meeting up with old ones you usually only see once a year. There are always fringe events and exhibition stands with party-atmospheres and the entertainment at the welcome reception is always worth watching.
So join me at ICS 2016, Tokyo! See you there!
Tracked programme at a glance