Are you a healthcare provider seeking practical tools and compassionate strategies to support grieving families—and yourself? The upcoming 29th Annual “Because We Care” Workshop, themed “Forget Me Never,” is your opportunity to gain essential skills, connect with peers, and earn continuing education credits, all in a supportive, in-person environment.

Why Attend This Workshop?

Grief is a deeply personal and often isolating journey, not just for families but also for the professionals who care for them. This workshop is designed specifically for nurses, social workers, child-life specialists, counselors, chaplains, and other care providers who want to:

• Learn communication skills for sensitive conversations
• Discover self-care strategies to prevent compassion fatigue
• Engage in hands-on creation of keepsakes to comfort grieving families
• Explore ways to remember loved ones while letting go
• Understand how families experience support after a loss

Event Details

    Date: September 17, 2026

    Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm (breakfast and registration at 7:30)

    Lunch provided

    Location: Ardmore Baptist Church, 501 Miller Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Registration & Fees

• Atrium, Advocate, AHWFB Employees: $70 (promo code required)
• General Registration: $100

Continuing Education Credit

Participants can earn:

• 0.65 CEUs through Northwest AHEC
• 6.5 Contact Hours through Northwest AHEC

Nurses may apply these hours toward their continuing competence requirements for North Carolina licensure.

Register Today

Whether you provide direct patient care, family support services, counseling, or spiritual care, this workshop will help you build skills that foster compassionate support for others while prioritizing your own well-being.

29th Annual “Because We Care” Workshop: Forget Me Never 📅 September 17, 2026 🕗 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 📍 Ardmore Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC

REGISTER NOW -  https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/t3/courses-and-events/77742

For many healthcare professionals, measles feels like a disease of the past. Yet recent outbreaks and declining vaccination rates in some communities have brought this highly contagious disease back into the spotlight. As cases continue to emerge across the United States, pediatric and primary care teams must be ready to recognize symptoms early, respond appropriately, and help protect vulnerable patients.

To support healthcare professionals on the front lines, Northwest AHEC is offering Pediatric Pulse: Measles Resurgence—Recognizing, Responding, and Protecting Your Patients on August 5, 2026, as a live, two-hour webinar. This timely program provides practical, evidence-based guidance for recognizing and managing measles in today's evolving healthcare environment. 

Why This Topic Matters Now

Measles remains one of the most contagious infectious diseases known. Early identification and rapid response can significantly reduce transmission, protect vulnerable populations, and support public health efforts. Healthcare professionals play a critical role not only in clinical management but also in patient education and vaccine confidence conversations.

As outbreaks occur, providers may encounter patients with symptoms they have never personally seen in practice. This makes ongoing education particularly important for pediatric clinicians, nurses, vaccine coordinators, and public health professionals.

What Participants Will Learn

This webinar is designed to equip healthcare providers with the knowledge and clinical tools needed to effectively recognize, respond to, and prevent measles. Participants will review current epidemiologic trends, identify early clinical signs and symptoms, and explore evidence-based approaches to diagnosis, isolation, and treatment.

Key learning objectives include:

• Recognizing the clinical presentation of measles, including prodromal symptoms, rash progression, and diagnostic indicators. 
• Applying evidence-based management strategies for suspected or confirmed measles cases, including isolation precautions, reporting requirements, and collaboration with public health agencies.
• Discussing prevention strategies, including vaccination recommendations and effective approaches for addressing vaccine hesitancy among patients and caregivers. 

Who Should Attend?

This program is especially relevant for:

• Registered Nurses
• Licensed Practical Nurses
• Healthcare professionals involved in vaccine administration
• Patient educators
• Public health professionals
• Pediatric healthcare providers and clinical staff who may encounter suspected measles cases 

Whether you work in pediatrics, family medicine, urgent care, school health, public health, or community-based settings, this webinar offers valuable information that can be immediately applied in practice.

Practical Education You Can Use Right Away

One of the greatest benefits of this program is its focus on real-world application. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how to identify measles quickly, implement appropriate infection-control measures, and confidently communicate with patients and families about vaccination and disease prevention.

In an environment where misinformation can spread as quickly as disease, healthcare professionals need both clinical expertise and effective communication strategies. This webinar addresses both.

Register Today

Pediatric Pulse: Measles Resurgence—Recognizing, Responding, and Protecting Your Patients will be held as a live webinar on August 5, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. EDT. Participants may earn 2 Contact Hours / 2 Nursing Contact Hours.

As measles continues to reemerge as a public health concern, now is the time to ensure your team is prepared.

Register today: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/t3/courses-and-events/78399

Providing safe, high-quality care for mothers and babies begins with strong clinical foundations—and fetal monitoring is a critical component of that care.

Northwest AHEC is excited to offer the Basic Fetal Monitoring – Fall 2026 course, a one-day, in-person learning experience designed to help healthcare professionals strengthen their skills, build confidence, and improve patient outcomes.

Caring for high-risk maternity patients requires more than clinical expertise and adherence to medical protocols—it calls for compassionate, whole-person support that addresses physical, emotional, and psychological needs. Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches is an evidence-informed, in-person continuing education training designed to empower frontline healthcare professionals with practical, non-pharmacological tools that can be used right at the bedside.

This interactive program is ideal for nurses, doulas, CNAs, social workers, and allied health professionals who support pregnant and birthing individuals facing complex medical or psychosocial challenges. Participants will gain hands-on strategies to enhance patient comfort, reduce anxiety, and foster a sense of safety and connection during some of the most vulnerable moments of care.

What Participants Will Learn

Through guided instruction and experiential learning, participants will explore bedside-appropriate techniques such as:

• Gentle movement techniques to support comfort, circulation, and body awareness for patients with limited mobility
• Breathwork and relaxation strategies that help calm the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and support coping during prolonged hospitalization
• Practical approaches to enhance comfort and emotional safety, particularly for patients experiencing fear and uncertainty. 
• Strategies for integrating mind-body techniques into interdisciplinary care, supporting consistent, patient-centered approaches across the care team

All content is grounded in clinical experience and evidence-informed practice.

Event Details

Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches
Register here: https://northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/t3/courses-and-events/77918

• Date: June 26, 2026
• Time: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. 
• Location: Novant Health – Forsyth Medical Center
  3333 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC
• Credits:
  7 Northwest AHEC Contact Hours / 7 Nursing Contact Hours
• Speaker: Angela Gallagher, MHL

Learn from expert speaker Angela Gallagher, MHL, as she shares practical, evidence‑informed strategies to support maternity patients on bedrest. Earn 7 Nursing Contact Hours while gaining tools you can use right away. Space is limited—register now!

Support Healing at the Bedside

By integrating gentle movement, breathwork, and mind-body awareness into everyday care, healthcare professionals can make a meaningful difference in the experience of high-risk maternity patients. Rest & Renewal: Supporting Maternity Patients on Bedrest through Non-Pharmacological Clinical Approaches offers practical tools to support healing, resilience, and emotional well-being—right where it matters most.

Breastfeeding plays a vital role in the health and well-being of infants, mothers, and families. Each year, Northwest AHEC brings together experts, caregivers, and community champions to deepen knowledge, strengthen skills, and uplift those who support breastfeeding families.

This year’s 14th Annual Breastfeeding Forum promises to be one of our most engaging and impactful events yet.

📅 Event Details

Date: March 10, 2026
Time: 8:45 AM – 3:15 PM 
Location: Hickory Metro Convention Center
1960 13th Avenue Drive SE, Hickory, NC 28602

This one-day, in-person conference is designed for professionals and advocates who play a role in supporting breastfeeding families—whether in clinical settings, community programs, or family-centered care environments.

🌟 What You’ll Learn

This year’s forum covers a diverse array of topics essential for anyone working with breastfeeding families. Attendees will gain updated, evidence-based insights on:

🍼 Community-Based Breastfeeding Support

• Learn about the purpose and growing impact of Baby Cafés, a community-centered model that provides accessible, judgment-free breastfeeding support.
• Explore strategies for engaging families and promoting long-term breastfeeding success.
  
  

🌿 Breastfeeding & Maternal Substance Use

• Understand the effects of common substances on lactation and infant health.
• Review evidence-based guidelines for safe breastfeeding practices in the context of maternal substance use.
• Gain strategies for supporting mothers using harm-reduction approaches and culturally sensitive care.
  
  

💛 Perinatal Mental Health

• Identify early emotional, behavioral, and psychological signs of disorders such as postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis.
• Learn to apply screening tools and referral strategies to connect families with timely support.
  
  

👶 Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)

• Recognize early clinical indicators of NOWS.
• Learn evidence-based approaches to care for infants with NOWS within breastfeeding contexts.
  
  

🧑‍🍼 Choosing the Right Breast Pump

• Review current breast pump options on the market.
• Learn how to guide parents in selecting the best pump for their unique situation.
  
  

🎓 Continuing Education Credits

Participants can earn:

• 5 Contact Hours from Northwest AHEC
• 5 CPEUs
• 3 IBLCE L CERPs
• 2 IBLCE R CERPs
• 5 Nursing Contact Hours
  
  

👥 Who Should Attend?

This forum is ideal for:

• Lactation consultants
• WIC staff
• Registered dietitians
• Nurses & nurse educators
• Peer counselors
• Health educators
• Social workers
• Childbirth educators
• Anyone who assists families with breastfeeding
  
  

🏨 Travel Convenience

A block of rooms is available at the Hickory Courtyard Marriott, just steps from the convention center.

• Discounted Rate: $159 + tax
• Book by: February 23
  
  

🔗 Register for the Forum

Secure your spot and browse the full agenda here:
👉 14th Annual Breastfeeding Forum – Register Now