This month, the Association of Asthma Educators celebrated 25 years as a nationwide nonprofit organization by hosting its annual AAE conference in Big Sky, Montana. Certified asthma educator and RT contributor Bill Pruitt was in attendance.
By Bill Pruitt, MBA, RRT, CPFT, AE-C, FAARC
BIG SKY, MONTANA – The Association of Asthma Educators (AAE) held their annual conference August 3-5, 2023, in Big Sky, Montana. This year the AAE conference celebrated 25 years as a nationwide nonprofit organization devoted to excellence and raising the competency of diverse individuals who educate patients and families living with asthma.
The AAE is for anyone who has a passion about asthma and includes nurses, nurse practitioners, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, doctors, physician assistants, community health workers, case managers and social workers. Many of the attendees were certified asthma educators, or AE-C, (but this certification is not necessary to become a member of the AAE) and many were attending the annual conference for the first time.
The two-and-a-half day conference covered a broad range of talks and included poster presentations, workshops, networking, and lots of food, fun, and time to enjoy the beauty of Montana. The Big Sky Resort was also a great facility with a wide range of excellent amenities. Beyond the conference many attendees (and their families) enjoyed taking the ski lifts at the iconic Lone Mountain, hiking the many trails, watching the deer, foxes, and inquisitive chipmunks, and doing some exciting mountain biking.
A one-day Pharmacology Pre-conference was hosted on August 2nd, with activities including the AAE Annual Cooper Fun Run (a 5K run and 1 mile walk) for all who wanted to join in.
The full conference began on August 3rd and offered over 24 hours of CEU credits in total for nursing, respiratory therapy, and pharmacy to count for educational hours.
Topics covered during the two days of educational sessions included: asthma phenotypes; severe asthma management; asthma airway clearance; athletes, exercise, and asthma; pediatric asthma and transition of care from child to adult. Day 2 concluded with scientific posters and presentations.
The Association’s past-presidents along with the 16 founding members of the AAE were recognized well, as all the attendees looked back over the past 25 years of this growing association.
Next year’s meeting is planned for late summer to early fall in Charlotte, NC.
Additional Information
- More information on the AAE is available on their website.
- For information on becoming a certified asthma educator (AE-C), please read RT Magazine’s original 2013 article: “Becoming a Certified Asthma Educator” (written by AE-C Bill Pruitt): https://respiratory-therapy.com/disorders-diseases/chronic-pulmonary-disorders/asthma/becoming-a-certified-asthma-educator/.
- Note: The National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) is now administering the AE-C exam.
- For more up to date information on the AE-C credential, go to the American Association for Respiratory Care website on careers and career advice.
RT
Bill Pruitt, MBA, RRT, CPFT, FAARC, is a writer, lecturer, and consultant. Bill has over 40 years of experience in respiratory care in a wide variety of settings and has over 20 years teaching at the University of South Alabama in Cardiorespiratory Care. Now retired from teaching, Bill continues to provide guest lectures, participates in podcasts, and writes professionally. For more info, contact [email protected].
