Poster Presentation at 2023 NAPNAP Annual Conference

Author: Emily Grant | Major: Nursing | Semester: Spring 2023

Hello! My name is Emily Grant and I’m a senior nursing major with a minor in human development and family sciences, and I recently had the chance to present my honors thesis findings at the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners annual conference in Orlando, Florida. My honors thesis focused on examining behaviors of a therapy canine and children with developmental delay and/or Autism Spectrum Disorder. With the intervention of animal assisted therapy in a clinical setting, we aimed to gather data in order to compare our findings amongst varying cultural groups.

At the annual conference in Orlando, we presented a poster that was on display for all conference attendees to view. By conversating and networking with nurse practitioners across the country, I had the chance to hear feedback from professionals within the pediatric field of nursing; with the research still in its early stages, feedback largely centered on future implications as we hope to continue to diversify and increase our sample size. Many of the individuals I spoke to were familiar with the benefits of animal assisted therapy and were thrilled to hear that canine behaviors and well-being were being explored. These individuals also described the use of therapy canines in the hospitals they have worked in, presenting me with the opportunity to explore animal assisted therapy even further after graduation during my nurse residency program.

While at the conference, we attended a memorable opening speaker keynote presentation that detailed an individual journey from pediatric cancer patient to adult physician assistant—even including her opportunity to participate in a mission to space that was sponsored by St. Jude’s hospital and the trials and tribulations that came along with the journey. The presentation was a heartfelt kickoff to the annual conference and solidified my passion of entering the nursing field.

During the conference, I also had the chance to speak with a multitude of different representatives from a variety of brands such as Aquafor and CeraVe. These representatives were engaging and presented me with the latest findings in pediatric research and treatment interventions. I was able to take home a variety of informational pamphlets, samples, and even a book written by an author regarding the common questions new mothers face about infants. Additionally, I spoke with representatives from Ohio State University and Johns Hopkins University regarding graduate programs, ranging from certified registered nurse anesthetist programs to pathways to becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner, which is my future career goal. I networked with these individuals and gave them my information so I could receive even more information about options to continue my education.

For students considering the option of presenting research findings at a conference or workshop, I would highly recommend the experience! The poster presentation and Q&A panel heightened my confidence in presenting our research findings and boosted my professional development. As I quickly approach graduation, obtain my B.S.N., and officially begin my nursing career at a pediatric hospital, I am confident that the time I dedicated towards my honors thesis not only made me a better student, but a better future nurse as well!