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The 31st Annual Meeting of the Japanese Association for Research on Family Nursing was held from September 14 to 15, 2024, at Kamakura Performing Arts Center. A total of 1,125 participants registered for the meeting, which was a great success.
The meeting theme was “A Time for Discussion for A Dynamic Fusion of Intelligence: Clinician’s Practical Knowledge, Researcher’s Scholarly Knowledge, and Family’s Experiential Knowledge.” Professor Hiromi Inoue, who is the Director of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, gave a special lecture titled “Exploring Family’s Attractions Observed in Birth Settings,” in which he introduced several cases of delivery in the world and talked about family bonding at the scene of natural childbirth. In addition, we had an excellent opportunity to attend the educational lectures by two distinguished researchers; one was titled “Family Support in Primary Care Practice” by Professor Hideki Wakabayashi of Mie University, and the other was titled “Enhancing Clinician’s Sensitivity” by Professor Ryuji Kobayashi of Sensitivity Education Clinical Research Institute.
An exclusive talk between Professor Kiyoko Kamibeppu of the International University of Health and Welfare and Professor Hajime Yamamoto of Keio University was also held as a special event commemorating the 30th anniversary of the establishment of JARFN. In this special talk, they discussed various topics under the theme titled “How to Face the Changes in Family,” including changes in family structure, values, and social awareness from the perspectives of nursing sciences and jurisprudence.
Various symposiums were also held in success, including the one titled “Collaboration between Professionals and Families,” organized in collaboration between a family association for mental illness, an ALS family association, and a pediatric cancer family association, as well as the other titled “Designing Advanced Family Nursing Practice from Japanese Culture” organized by nursing experts from Japan and the United States. A wide range of programs were also held successfully, including 91 general presentations, 23 exchange meetings, four committee-organized sessions, and six on-demand sessions. Each venue was filled with attendees exchanging lively and fruitful discussions, which indeed was a productive and enriching experience. We sincerely hope that the outcome of this meeting will be applied to family nursing practice, contributing to advancing the work of clinicians and researchers, thereby leading to the benefit for the patients and their families.
Finally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the board, council, and review committee members of the JARFN, planning and management committee members, executive committee members, volunteers, generous sponsors, and all those who helped us accomplish this endeavor.
The next meeting will be held from September 20 to 21, 2025, in Sapporo, Japan, organized by Professor Miki Kon’no of Sapporo Medical University.
Reiko INOUE, Ph.D., RN, Conference President of the 31th Annual JARFN Conference
Professor, Area of Family Nursing, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokai University