Annual sickle cell conference highlights role of nurses in patient care

From left, Cecil L. Parker Jr., M.D.; Ardie Pack-Mabien, FNP-BC.; Felicia Wilson, M.D., and Antwan Hogue, M.D. 

USA Health’s Johnson Haynes Jr., M.D. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center recently hosted its 19th annual regional conference, Sickle Cell Disease Practical Issues XIX: Nurses, Anchors of Healthcare in Sickle Cell Disease, bringing together healthcare professionals from across the Gulf Coast to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration in the care of patients living with sickle cell disease. 

Held on Oct. 4 at the Strada Patient Care Center, the multidisciplinary event offered attendees a full day of learning focused on the latest advances in treatment and nursing care. The conference theme celebrated the essential role nurses play in every aspect of patient care, from managing hospital stays to guiding families through long-term treatment plans. 

Antwan Hogue, M.D.; T'Shemika Perryman, RN;

Jessica King, FNP-C; and Ardie Pack-Mabien, FNP-BC

Expert speakers included Felicia Wilson, M.D., and Hamayun Imran, M.D., both pediatric hematologist-oncologists and professors of pediatrics at the Whiddon College of Medicine, who discussed the pathophysiology of sickle cell disease and advances in gene therapy.  

Antwan Hogue, M.D., medical director of the Johnson Haynes Jr., M.D. Comprehensive Sickle Cell Center and assistant professor of internal medicine at the Whiddon College of Medicine, examined the evolving role of precision medicine and its limitations. Nurse practitioners Jennifer Williams, CRNP, and Jessica King, FNP-C, provided evidence-based approaches to nursing management in both pediatric and adult care settings. 

During the event, Wilson was awarded the Dr. Cecil L. Parker, Jr. Sickle Cell Disease Distinguished Endowed Lectureship, which was established in 2008 to support sickle cell education for patients, physicians, and allied health professionals in Mobile and surrounding counties. Named for Parker, a former director of the USA Adult Sickle Cell Center, the award recognizes his extensive and lengthy medical career of caring for adult patients with sickle cell disease.  

Mohammad Barouqa, M.D., and Felicia Wilson, M.D.

Mohammad Barouqa, M.D., pathologist and assistant professor of pathology, received the Outstanding Service Award in recognition of his leadership as director of the blood bank, especially in working to ensure an adequate supply for sickle cell patients. 

T’Shemika Perryman, RN, adult clinic nurse and transition coordinator, and King also received Outstanding Service Awards for their invaluable support and dedication to patient care. 

Participants earned continuing education credit through the Alabama Board of Nursing while also connecting with colleagues across disciplines who share a commitment to improving outcomes for both pediatric and adult patients.