Attending the National Conference is always exciting. It provides amazing opportunities for learning about the latest advances in wound, ostomy and continence care. In addition to hearing what others are saying about the areas of care you practice in most commonly, the conference also is a great opportunity to update your knowledge about areas of care that we do not get to see every day.

However, as interesting as all of these opportunities are, the most valuable and interesting component of the National Conference may be opportunity to meet colleagues around the country as well as from around the world and network. For novice clinicians, the term "networking" is sometimes interpreted as socializing with a little "professional talk" thrown in on the side. Fortunately, experience teaches us that networking is far more valuable than that. Even in this age of twittering, instant messaging, and e-mail, nothing is more valuable than the opportunity to sit with colleagues and talk frankly about the problems, care solutions, challenges, and rewards of our respective practices. These conversations provide an unparalleled opportunity to hear the inside story about what your colleagues are really doing when faced with common problems like designing the best pressure ulcer prevention program they can with inadequate resources, or teaching ostomy care during a hospital stay that is so brief that the patient barely has time to learn to empty the pouch. Such conversations are also invaluable when facing emerging and controversial issues like antiseptics versus antibiotics in wound care, optimal use of fecal or bowel management systems, and long-term access to an ostomy nursing specialist.

While the opportunities for networking and learning are always stellar, the 2010 conference (June 12-16, Phoenix, Arizona) offers something that is truly special. In addition to learning and networking with colleagues in WOCN, this year's meeting is a joint session with the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists (WCET). The WCET, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2008, is a global organization with members in over 60 countries dedicated to the vision that specialized nursing care should be made available worldwide for all persons with a need for wound, ostomy, or continence care.

This opportunity to share and network with colleagues from around the world is simply too valuable to pass up. As Editors of the official journals for the WOCN and WCET, we have both benefited from unique opportunities to hear how colleagues in different settings provide wound, ostomy and continence care. As a continence nurse specialist, I have been interested to read about the challenges of administering antimuscarinics in a tropical climate where the heat intolerance associated with these medications is more than a nuisance. As a wound care specialist, I have learned how to do pressure offloading in countries where people wear sandals rather than shoes and the challenges of ostomy care, given the variety of toilets in different countries. The creativity and ingenuity of patients to use resources or lack of, to pouch their stoma reminds me of the resiliency of the human spirit. Imagine using a condom or even a plastic bag that in the United States is the packaging, something that we normally throw out, being repurposed to become an ostomy pouch that will be held in place with a string from a package wrap.

You have heard about must-see television, the latest must-read book, and must-see videos from the Internet. Truly, this year's annual conference is a must-attend meeting. In addition to the annual opportunities, the meeting offers for continuing education and networking among US-based colleagues, this year's meeting will truly represent the global community. Come along with 3,000 of your colleagues from around the world and find out the latest in wound, ostomy and continence care during the course of general and specialty track sessions. View the largest collection of posters ever submitted for presentation to either the WOCN National Conference or the WCET Biennial Conference. Plan to spend time after the formal sessions with colleagues, including folks you know from across the United States, as well as many colleagues you may have never met from Canada, Europe, Central and South America, Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and Africa. To our international colleagues, we invite you to experience the warmth, hospitality, and beauty of Arizona and the United States of America. We look forward to seeing you in Phoenix!!

Elizabeth A. Ayello, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CWON, ETN, MAPWCA, FAAN

Executive Editor, Journal of the World Council of Enterostomal Therapists

Mikel Gray, PhD, FNP, PNP, CUNP, CCCN, FAANP, FAAN

Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing