Upcoming Congress

Countdown to Congress 2010 “Universal focus on patient care”

It’s coming! In less than 3 months the WCET will, for the first time, co-host a congress with the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN). The 2010 WOCN/WCET Joint Conference, will be held 12-16 June in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. This event will provide members of both associations the opportunity to share professional information as well as culture with one another.

You can stay up-to-date on conference plans by visiting wocn.jointconference2010.org.

About Phoenix and Arizona, USA

Arizona is located in the southwestern part of the USA. The climate of Arizona is primarily desert, with some more temperate areas in the north. It is a state with multiple cultural influences including Native American (formerly called “American Indian”, Hispanic and western “cowboy” cultures.

Phoenix is the capital of Arizona and, with 1,800,000 residents, is the 5th largest city in the USA. The Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is a large modern airport serving many national and international airlines. A light rail train system connects the airport with the Phoenix Convention Center and the city hotels.

Phoenix is located in south central Arizona at the north edge of the Sonoran Desert. Its elevation is 1117 feet above sea level. The sky is sunny most of the year and there is very little rainfall. Phoenix has a desert climate with warm days and cool evenings. The temperature in June ranges 71°F (22°C) t102°F (39°C) with an average high of 92°F (33°C).

A Little History

The area that later became Phoenix was first inhabited in the year 300 AD by the Hohokam Native Americans. They built 135 miles of waterways to grow their food crops. This tribe disappeared later, possibly because of long periods of drought.

The city is called Phoenix because, like the Egyptian Phoenix Bird legend, the city has risen from the ashes of its past cultures. The area did not become settled again until the 1800s. In 1867 farmers began digging the waterways that would support agriculture and more settlers. The warm climate has been ideal for growing citrus fruit and there are still many citrus groves today. Many “dude ranches” were developed in the area and offered city tourists the opportunity to spend a vacation riding horses and living the western ranch life.

Phoenix stayed a small farming community until the 1930s. Then the tourists began to come to enjoy the warm weather and healthy environment. The dry climate was especially helpful for recuperation from tuberculosis. The tourists and permanent residents continued to come and the population of the city and surrounding area has grown tremendously since the 1930s. The area is also home to many native plant and animal species. Under its sunny skies, many varieties of palm trees, cactus and other desert plants thrive. These will be featured in a future column.

Make plans now to attend the 2010 conference.

Watch for the next Countdown to Congress in Issue 4 of the WCET Journal for more information.

For more information contact the WCET Congress Liaison