ASSOCIATION FOR VASCULAR ACCESS
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine, TX October 2 - 4, 2026 October 1 – Pre-Meeting Workshops
ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING
Intravascular
QUARTERLY Your complete guide to sessions, speakers & everything happening in Grapevine.
Table of Contents AVASM26 – Are You Ready?
03
New this year
04
CE credits
05
Hotel Information
06
Exhibitor Education and Events
07
Exhibit Hall
08
Pre-Meeting Workshops
09
Start Planning Now
10
What to wear
12
Can’t make it – On-Demand Registration
14
Thank you to our Supporters
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AVASM26 Is Almost Here — Are You Ready? The countdown is on! In just a few short weeks, the vascular access community will come together in Grapevine, Texas, for the 2026 AVA Annual Scientific Meeting (AVASM26), October 2–4, with Pre-Meeting Workshops beginning October 1.
Whether you’re joining us to sharpen your clinical skills, discover the latest innovations, earn CE credits, reconnect with colleagues, or bring new ideas back to your organization, AVASM26 is your opportunity to learn,
INSIDE THIS ISSUE • Opening Keynote & Closing General Session
connect, and be inspired alongside professionals who
• 34+ CE Credit Opportunities
share your commitment to improving vascular access care.
• Interactive Workshops & Roundtables
And there is A LOT happening! In this special edition of IQ, we’re helping you start planning your AVASM26 experience before you even pack your bags.
• Exhibitor Education • Exhibit Hall Events • Packing Tips & Fun Extras
Already registered? Start building your must-see list now so you can make every minute in Texas count. Haven’t registered yet? There’s still time to join us. Come experience the education, innovation, connections, and energy that happen when the vascular access community comes together.
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Your AVASM26 experience starts now. Keep reading, start planning, and we’ll see you in Texas.
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NEW THIS YEAR
Two Can’t-Miss Interactive Experiences Come ready to collaborate, create, and see what can happen when great minds come together to solve the challenges we face every day in vascular access.
OCT 3 · $20
2:15pm - 6:15PM CT
ONLY 80 SEATS
9:15am - 10:30am CT
AVA + SONSIEL Innovation Hackathon
CPG Roundtable: Bridging Guidelines to Practice
It’s not too late to sign up — but space is
You’ve read the guidelines — now let’s talk
limited. For just $20, take part in this 4-hour,
about putting them into practice. Join this
hands-on innovation experience as AVA
interactive event focused on turning AVA’s
and SONSIEL join forces for their first-ever
Clinical Practice Guidelines into real-world
Vascular Access Innovation Hackathon.
strategies for your program.
You don’t need to be an inventor or
Rotate through four sponsor-led roundtable
have hackathon experience — just ideas,
discussions, connecting directly with
curiosity, and a desire to make vascular
industry experts to explore innovations and
access care better.
practical solutions that help you:
Tackle real-world challenges in vascular access
Put the AVA CPGs into practice
Turn frontline problems into creative solutions
Strengthen your vascular access program
Develop and build out your ideas Pitch solutions that could improve patient outcomes, safety, workflow, and care delivery How to add it: Find your AVASM26 registration confirmation email, click “Edit,” and add the SONSIEL Hackathon to your registration.
Improve compliance and standardization Enhance patient safety and outcomes Take practical ideas back to your organization Bring your questions and experiences — this is your opportunity for meaningful, small-group conversation. This roundtable won’t be recorded — arrive early, seats are limited.
Don’t wait until you arrive — this workshop may be full by then!
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CONTINUING EDUCATION
Earn 34+ CE Credits at AVASM26 Make the most of your AVASM26 experience while earning the continuing education credits you need. In-person attendees can earn 34+ CE credits through a combination of live education and On-Demand learning.
14
CEs available during the in-person conference
+
Additional CEs through Pre-Meeting Workshops
20
More CEs via AVA On-Demand
CE-eligible education includes Keynote, General Sessions, Breakouts, Pre-Meeting Workshops, and other designated sessions. Credits earned may also be used toward VA-BC™ recertification, and select sessions have been approved for CRNI® credit.
Not attending in person? AVA On-Demand participants can earn up to 20 CEs while watching sessions at their convenience.
Deadline: December 14, 2026 All attendees have until this date to complete evaluations, claim CE credits, and download their certificates.
TYPES OF CREDITS • Nursing Credits • VA-BC™ (Vascular Access Board Certification) • CRNI® (Infusion Nurses Certification Corporation) • ACCME Credits for MD’s, NP’s, PA’s Category I and DO’s Category II
Click here to register today
Learn. Earn. And bring new knowledge back to your patients and your team. Learn more: Accreditation and CE 2026
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HOTEL
Stay Where It All Happens We look forward to seeing you at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. Staying at the Gaylord puts you right where AVASM26 is happening — from the early conversations to the late-night connections. When the day winds down, you can simply head upstairs instead of waiting for a ride to another hotel.
Airport & Ground Transportation Learn more: Hotel & Travel 2026
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Make sure you book your room before the AVA room block is filled to get the AVA discount.
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DON’T MISS THIS
Exhibitor Education and Events Our exhibitors bring additional opportunities to connect, learn, and explore the latest products, technologies, and solutions in vascular access. Throughout the meeting, be sure to check out the Exhibitor Education & Events, including:
INDUSTRY-SPONSORED SYMPOSIA More in-depth educational sessions featuring clinical topics, emerging practices, and innovative solutions. Check the conference website — you may be able to earn CEs.
VASCULAR ACCESS TALKS Short, focused presentations held right in the Exhibit Hall — perfect for picking up new ideas while exploring the exhibits.
HANDS-ON & PRODUCT EDUCATION Visit the Exhibit Hall for opportunities to see products and technologies in action, ask questions, and learn directly from industry experts.
Make our Exhibitors a key part of your AVASM26 experience These sessions are a great way to discover new solutions, hear different perspectives, and connect directly with the companies helping advance vascular access.
Check the Exhibitor Education & Events schedule and start planning what you don’t want to miss. Exhibitor Education and Events
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EXPLORE & CONNECT
The AVASM26 Exhibit Hall Is Where You Want to Be Make time in your AVASM26 schedule to explore the Exhibit Hall. It’s your opportunity to connect face-to-face with the companies helping shape the future of vascular access. Talk with exhibitors, ask questions, get hands-on with products, and discover new technologies, tools, and solutions that could help you improve your practice and provide the best possible care for your patients. This is your chance to see what’s new, compare solutions, and learn directly from the experts.
FRIDAY NIGHT
SATURDAY
Exhibit Hall Reception — 5:00pm - 7:30pm CT Kick off the conference, reconnect with colleagues, meet our exhibitors, and enjoy the evening together.
Lunch in the Exhibit Hall — 11:00am - 2:00pm CT Grab lunch and use the time to visit the booths you’ve been wanting to explore.
Brunch in the Exhibit Hall — 10:30am - 12:30pm CT
SUNDAY
Start your final conference day with brunch, conversation, and another opportunity to connect with exhibitors before the meeting wraps up.
Don’t just walk the aisles. Explore, ask questions, make connections, and see what’s next in vascular access.
Our exhibitors are an important part of the AVASM26 experience, so come hungry, come curious, and plan to spend some time in the Exhibit Hall.
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GET A HEAD START
Come Early. Get Hands-On Experience. Learn More. Why wait until Friday to start your AVASM26 education? Pre-Meeting Workshops take place Thursday, October 1, giving you the opportunity to add even more hands-on, practical learning to your conference experience.
These workshops are designed to go deeper — giving you dedicated time to practice techniques, build skills, ask questions, and learn alongside experts and fellow vascular access professionals. Choose from workshops covering a variety of topics and skill levels, with opportunities to strengthen your clinical practice and take new knowledge and
There’s Still Time to Register — But Don’t Wait Pre-Meeting Workshops Space is limited in many of our workshops, and once a workshop reaches capacity, it’s full.
techniques directly back to your patients and your organization. Reserve your seat before someone else does! Take a look at the workshop lineup now and find the one that’s right for you. Come to Texas a day early and kick off your AVASM26 experience with handson learning.
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ALREADY REGISTERED? Adding a workshop is easy. Find your registration confirmation email, click “Edit,” and add the Pre-Meeting Workshop you want to attend.
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START PLANNING NOW
Build Your AVASM26 Must-See List With so much education packed into AVASM26, don’t wait until you arrive to decide where you want to be. Take some time now to explore the Full Education Schedule, read through the session descriptions, and start identifying your “must-see” sessions.
From clinical best practices and emerging research to innovation, patient safety, and the latest thinking in vascular access, there’s a lot you won’t want to miss.
OPENING KEYNOTE
Expand Our Impact. Limit Patient Harm Start AVASM26 with a powerful reminder of just how far your influence as a vascular access clinician can reach. Through compelling patient stories, our keynote will explore how inconsistent vascular access practices — even those occurring outside the vascular access team — can contribute to preventable patient harm. You’ll see how the AVA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Adults (CPG) can help reduce variability and support safer, more consistent decision-making across disciplines and care settings. Most importantly, this session will challenge you to think beyond your own practice. How can you take what you know and influence the care happening throughout your organization? You’ll leave inspired and equipped to start collaborative conversations that can maximize your impact and minimize patient harm. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Michelle L. Hawes
DNP, CRNO®, VA-BCTM, ACRP-CP
Antonio (Toni) Sochor
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BSN, VA-BCTM
Michael L. Stern MD, VA-BCTM
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START PLANNING NOW
Stay through Sunday Plan to stay with us all the way through the final session on Sunday. You won’t want to miss: Know It. Apply It. Defend It. — The CPG in Practice.
CLOSING GENERAL SESSION
Know It. Apply It. Defend It. — The CPG in Practice We’re closing AVASM26 with a dynamic, interactive session that takes AVA’s Clinical Practice Guidelines for Adults (CPG) off the page and puts them into real-world practice. Through compelling clinical cases, you’ll put your knowledge to the test across areas including VAD selection, insertion, care and maintenance, infection prevention, informed consent, and hospital-onset bacteremia (HOB). But this session goes one step further. By combining frontline clinical insight with a legal and risk-management perspective, we’ll examine what happens when evidence-based guidelines aren’t followed — and what that can mean for patient safety, clinicians, and organizations. KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Lori Kaczmarek
MSN, RN, VA-BCTM
Russ Nassof
Jurisdoctorate
Don’t leave early This is where so much of what you’ve learned throughout AVASM26 comes together.
Start exploring the schedule now. Build your plan. Mark your must-see sessions. And make every minute of AVASM26 count.
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START PLANNING NOW
What to Wear — Pack Smart & Show Your AVA Spirit A few things to remember as you pack for AVASM26: Bring a Light Sweater or Jacket
LAYER UP
Conference room temperatures can be unpredictable — one room may feel warm while the next feels chilly. Having an extra layer with you will help keep you comfortable throughout the day.
Bring a Reusable Water Bottle
STAY HYDRATED
Stay hydrated while you’re learning, networking, and exploring the Exhibit Hall. Bring your favorite water bottle and refill it throughout the day at our water stations.
Saturday Is Jersey Day
SATURDAY
Show us your team spirit. Wear your favorite college, professional, or hometown team jersey on Saturday. We can’t wait to see which teams are represented at AVASM26.
Sunday Is AVA T-Shirt Day
SUNDAY
Wear your favorite AVA T-shirt on Sunday and show your AVA pride. Don’t have one? We’ve got you covered.
Pack your layers. Bring your bottle. Show your team spirit. And get ready for AVASM26.
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START PLANNING NOW
New This Year: AVA Iron-On Decals! Stop by the AVA Booth and purchase your favorite AVA iron-on decals! Choose from several fun designs and add a little AVA style to your favorite T-shirt, hoodie, or other gear. And don’t forget your conference tote bag! Make it uniquely yours by picking out your favorite decals and customizing your bag. You can use the iron right in your hotel room during the conference! Love them? Stock up! Take a few extras home for yourself—or surprise colleagues who couldn’t make it to AVASM26 with a little AVA swag.
Pick your decals. Get creative. Show your AVA pride!
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CAN’T MAKE IT?
AVASM26 Can Still Come to You We’re sad you can’t join us in Grapevine, but we don’t want you to miss out on the great education — or the opportunity to earn CEs.
With AVA On-Demand Registration, you can access sessions from AVASM26 on your own schedule and earn up to 20 CEs.
20
CEs available On-Demand
LATE OCT Sessions become available
OCT 31 Registration closes
How it works Beginning in late October 2026, registered On-Demand attendees can watch recorded conference sessions at their convenience. Some sessions will include video recordings, while others will be available with audio and slides.
Learn when it works for you. Earn your CEs. Still experience the education of AVASM26 — even if you can’t be there in person.
Don’t wait — On-Demand Registration closes October 31, 2026. You will have until December 14, 2026 to claim CEs. Registration Rates and Policies
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WITH GRATITUDE
Thank You AVASM26 Supporters AVASM26 would not be possible without the generous support of our industry partners and supporters.
Their commitment helps AVA bring the vascular access community together for high-quality education, innovation, collaboration, and connection — all with the shared goal of advancing vascular access and improving patient care. Please join us in thanking our AVASM26 supporters. We encourage you to recognize the organizations that help make this meeting possible and connect with them while you’re in Texas.
ELITE
PREMIUM
PATRON
Thank you for supporting AVA, our members, and the vascular access community. Thank You Supporters!
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