Dec 17, 2024
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The past few years have made it clear: nurses are superheroes. As a nurse, you’re committed to providing top-notch care for your patients. In the ever-evolving field of healthcare, this means honing your skills by participating in continuing education opportunities. Nursing conferences are a great way to level up your skills, earn the CEUs you need, and connect with other nurses.
Conferences are educational, fun, and exciting, but they can also interrupt busy work schedules and involve registration and travel costs. To help you make the most informed decisions for your career goals, schedule, and budget, we’ve rounded up information on best nursing conferences in 2025. Check out all the different conferences you could attend, as well as tips for how to make the most of them.
Below, you’ll find a list of the best nursing conferences by specialty, so you can choose the event that fits your unique needs. And there’s something for everyone — nursing students, leaders, educators, and more.
Date: May 18, 2025 (pre-conference), May 19–21, 2025 (full conference)
Location: New Orleans, LA
Cost: $345–$860
What to Expect: Each year, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses joins NTI to offer progressive and critical care nurses the most up-to-date information on almost 50 conference topics related to clinical and professional practice skills.
CEUs: Past years have offered more than 35 on-site; up to 200 post-conference (through the end of October).
Speakers/Topics: NTI 2025 speakers and topics have not yet been released, but previous sessions featured expert and motivational speakers and an extensive list of topics, including a comprehensive pharmacology workshop, critical thinking in emergency situations, a CCRN/PCCN prep course, compassionate withdrawal of life support, reducing bacterial infections, and managing heart failure.
Handle/Hashtag: @AACNme, #NTI2025
Date: September 17–20, 2025
Location: New Orleans, LA
Cost: TBA
What to Expect: This is an opportunity for emergency nurses to meet and explore the latest research about emergency medicine. They can take advantage of dozens of sessions as well as an Experience Hall featuring many industry partners.
CEUs: TBA
Speakers/Topics: Topics are TBA for 2025. Past topics have included brain trauma, stroke care, blood loss, considerations for transgender patients, patient education, and emergency medical professionals in the global workforce.
Handle/Hashtag: @ENAorg
Dates:
Location: Various offerings, check dates for each location
Cost: $100–$1,350
What to Expect: World nursing education leader NPACE offers nurse practitioners a range of conferences comprising day-long and two-day virtual events as well as three- to four-day pharmacology, acute care, and primary care conferences. Whether attending a three-day or four-day event, attendees are welcome to engage in lively conversation with speakers to learn more about offered topics.
CEUs: 5–24
Speakers/Topics: Speakers for 2025 include Sheldon Fields, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN; Amy Siple, APRN, FNP, GS-C; and Patsy Sulak, MD. Topics include HIV updates, suicide prevention, infectious disease updates, atrial fibrillation management, sports physical exams, and more.
Handle/Hashtag: @NPACE_org
Date: October 15–18, 2025
Location: New Orleans, LA
Cost: Typically between $600–$950
What to Expect: This large national conference attracts psychiatric–mental health nurses and other psychiatric nursing professionals at all career levels. It is open as well to any professional who is “passionate about providing care to the psychiatric–mental health population.” The APNA’s 39th Annual Conference is titled “Empowered to Innovate and Collaborate: PMH Nurses Shaping Care Excellence”
CEUs: Earn up to 115 contact hours for certification or licensure renewal
Speakers/Topics: TBA
Handle/Hashtag: @AmerPsychNurses, #PMHNCon
Date: September 11–13, 2025
Location: Austin, TX
Cost: Typically between $321–$748
What to Expect: Presented by the AMSN, this national conference invites nurses who provide surgical care to come together for networking, education, and the latest medical-surgical nursing research.
CEUs: TBA
Speakers/Topics: While the 2025 lineup is still in the works, previous conferences have included speakers like Joyce Batcheller on disruptive innovation. The focus was on how updated practices and the latest research can deliver better care to patients.
Handle/Hashtag: @MedSurgNurses
Date: April 22–25, 2025
Location: Orlando, FL
Cost: $495–$995
What to Expect: This conference is designed for nursing educators who have a passion for learning and who want to share that passion and commitment with others. In addition to the sessions, the program offers interactive workshops and three days of networking opportunities. In-person and virtual options are available.
CEUs: Typically 11+ contact hours, with opportunity for up to 12 additional contact hours in on-demand virtual sessions
Speakers/Topics: The 2025 conference focuses on critical issues for healthcare and healthcare education. These include helping more nursing students succeed, preparing students for practice, promoting quality care and patient safety, and recruiting and supporting nurse educators.
Handle/Hashtag: @NursingSummit
Date: October 8–10, 2025
Location: Atlanta, GA
Cost: TBA
What to Expect: Sponsored by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), this conference provides a wide range of educational topics, networking opportunities, and updates on research and evidence-based practices. It is appropriate for nurses and nurse administrators from all types of organizations, including in-patient, out-patient, and school settings.
CEUs: Up to 24 contact hours
Speakers/Topics: TBA. Sessions focus on how to align nursing organizations with the ANCC’s Magnet Recognition and Pathway to Excellence programs to foster supportive practice environments. Topics from previous conferences included combating burnout, leadership development, and holistic models of care.
Handle/Hashtag: #NCPDSummit
Date: December 3–4, 2025 (pre-conference), December 4–6, 2025 (full conference)
Location: Anaheim, CA
Cost: Typically between $300–$900
What to Expect: The AACN’s annual Transform conference brings together nursing faculty members, deans, leaders, and associate/assistant deans to network, discuss the latest in nursing education, and delve into the newest nursing education research.
CEUs: TBA
Speakers/Topics: Previous topics have included leadership, excellence, and innovation in academic nursing as well as the latest developments affecting nursing education. There has also been an emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion.
Handle/Hashtag: @AACNursing
Date: TBA (last held in July 2024)
Location: TBA
Cost: Typically between $300–$900
What to Expect: Acknowledging the critical roles black nurses play in reducing disparities and advancing health equity in nursing, the annual conference offers participants access to continuing education, career development, leadership enhancement, mentorship, and networking opportunities.
CEUs: Typically up to 20 contact hours
Speakers/Topics: TBA
Handle/Hashtag: @nbnainc
Date: March 27–29, 2025
Location: New Orleans, LA
Cost: Typically between $650–$850
What to Expect: The ANIA conference offers nurses opportunities to learn about the latest techniques in using data and analytics to inform medical decisions while networking with like-minded informatics nursing colleagues.
CEUs: Up to 11.25 contact hours for main conference
Speakers/Topics: Session topics fall within five education tracks: impact on practice, innovation in practice, leadership strategies, quality improvement and patient outcomes, and role and career development. Speakers for 2025 include Lauren Bergens, DNP, RN, and Lxchelle Arceneaux, DNP, MPH, BSN, BS, RN, NI-BC, presenting “Nursing IS Connected: Connecting Nursing Informatics to the Digital Innovation Future of Health Care.”
Handle/Hashtag: @ANIAinformatics
Date: March 30–April 2, 2025
Location: Boston, MA
Cost: Typically between $1,200–$1,500
What to Expect: The premier event for nurse leaders, the AONL conference offers participants the opportunity to interact with both experts and other attendees in a variety of formats, including small group discussions, lectures, manned poster sessions, and quick five-minute oral presentations.
CEUs: TBA
Speakers/Topics: TBA. Previous conference themes included innovation in care delivery, how to lead in challenging times, equity, diversity, and protecting the mental well-being of frontline staff and their leaders.
Handle/Hashtag: @TweetAONL
Date: March 9, 2025 (pre-conference), March 10–13, 2025 (in-person)
Location: Chicago, IL
Cost: $290–$785
What to Expect: This conference, sponsored by the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP), is geared for pediatric nurses, especially those employed in primary, acute, and special care settings. Workshops take a deeper look at key topics in these areas.
CEUs: Up to 26 contact hours
Speakers/Topics: Sessions focus on specific ways to enhance the primary, acute, and specialty care practices of pediatric nurse practitioners. Sample topics and speakers in 2025 include interpretation of pediatric chest imaging (Maureen A. Madden, DNP, CPNP-AC, CCRN, FCCM); supporting breastfeeding in your practice (Christine Pfundstein, MS, APRN, CPNP-PC, IBCLC); pediatric otitis (Laurie Newton, DNP, RN, CPNP- AC/PC; Kati Dreyer, MSN, RN, CPNP; Michelle Trampe, MSN, RN, CPNP); and concussion diagnosis (Roni Lynn Robinson, MSN, RN, CRNP).
Handle/Hashtag: @NAPNAP #NAPNAConf
Date: April 30–May 2, 2025
Location: Anaheim, CA
Cost: $380–$960
What to Expect: This conference offers speakers, workshops, presentations, and exhibits that share the latest information in pediatric care. Its learning objectives for attendees include learning best practices to improve patients’ outcomes, learning at least one evidence-based practice to introduce in the workplace, and creating professional development plans.
CEUs: Up to 24 contact hours
Speakers/Topics: Topics include “Making Our Clinical Practice More LGB and TGD Friendly: A Practical Exercise in On-the-Ground Activism,” “Caring Beyond Medicine: The Impact of Building Relationships and Providing Hope in Pediatric Nursing,” and “What Pediatric Nurses Need to Know to Provide Care and Support to Their Transgender & Gender Diverse Patients & Families.”
Handle/Hashtag: @PedsNurses
Date: April 23–25, 2025
Location: Kansas City, MO
Cost: TBA
What to Expect: TraumaCon offers trauma nurses educational programs, networking opportunities, and access to the latest research in trauma nursing, all aimed at empowering these nursing professionals to return to their careers ready to provide optimal care to trauma patients.
CEUs: TBA
Speakers/Topics: The 2025 schedule is still being planned, but you might expect something similar to previous TraumaCons. In the past, topics have included a plenary session on the topic of “Preventing Workplace Violence: One Trauma Center’s Experience.” Sessions explored pediatric trauma, geriatric trauma, professional branding, pediatric bariatric trauma patients, and how trauma registries can help identify community gun violence trends.
Handle/Hashtag: @SocTraumaNurses
Date: January 27–28, 2025
Location: Bangkok, Thailand
Cost: $449–$1,599
What to Expect: In this year’s conference on “Emerging Roles in Nursing: Future Directions,” nurses from around the world come together to discuss the latest trends and innovations in nursing and primary care. Researchers in various nursing specialties share their findings from the past year.
Speakers/Topics: Speakers TBA. Topics fall within a number of education tracks, including health promotion and disease prevention, patient advocacy, public health nursing, and emergency and disaster nursing.
Date: July 14–16, 2025
Location: Vienna, Austria (or virtual presentation option)
Cost: €299–€1,199
What to Expect: This international conference invites researchers, educators, and nursing professionals around the world to come together to explore the connections between research and practice.
Speakers/Topics: The conference includes tracks that address teaching and learning methods, resources, curricula, technology for governing organizations, outcomes, clinical experiences, and preceptor experiences. Panelists include senior nurse researchers, advanced practice nurses, and nurse clinicians.
Date: October 27–29, 2025
Location: Orlando, FL, USA or virtually
Cost: $839 in person; $539 virtual attendees
What to Expect: With a theme of “Nursing Beyond Borders: Global Perspectives and Practices,” speakers, researchers, and professionals will share their latest research and advancements in the field of nursing. Nurses will gain insights on the latest trends in nursing practices from around the world, as well as scientific responses to numerous worldwide health and safety concerns.
CEUs: 30
Speakers/Topics: TBA. Previous conferences included discussions on enhancing the quality and safety of patient care and the effectiveness of delivering healthcare at a global level. Previous topics also included nurse coaching within the hospital, nursing retention, and value-based care.
If you’re planning your next nursing conference around the best time of year for you to be away from work or family, here’s a list of the conferences broken up by quarter. Read more about them in their specialty category below.
There are almost as many types of nursing conferences as there are nurses. Some are geared for nurse specialists; others are more general. But almost all include topics such as patient safety, advanced nursing practice, technology changes, traditional medicine, alternative healthcare, and much more.
Healthcare professionals learn not only from subject-expert presenters but also from other colleagues. Hearing another nurse’s experience dealing with family members, for instance, might be the most valuable lesson you receive.
One of the first steps in deciding which conference is right for you is to consider your personal needs and career goals.
Attending a nursing conference promises many benefits. Understanding these benefits can help you commit to this vital continuing education offering, whether you’re a travel nurse, registered nurse, midwife nurse educator, nursing clinical director, nurse manager, or any other type of nursing professional.
For starters, evidence-based practices are always changing. Attending a nursing conference is one of the best ways for everyone – from young researchers to community health workers – to keep up with new nursing practices, processes, and products. This is true no matter what specialty you’re in.
Furthermore, most states require licensed nursing professionals to participate in continuing education courses. Many nursing conferences count as continuing education hours you can apply toward your state’s requirements.
In addition, certain conferences can help you earn certifications within areas of nursing specialization. Adding a certification to your resume can help you land a job, boost your salary, or increase your responsibilities at work.
And although attending a nursing conference is not without some expense, many employers will subsidize or cover the cost of attending. In this case, attending a nursing conference is a win-win. However, if cost remains a concern, digital offerings are available at a significantly reduced registration fee.
Why do nursing professionals go to conferences? Here are some common objectives nurses have for attending:
Many conferences offer discounts for those who register early. Committing early also allows you to block off your time away from the workplace and schedule any necessary replacements ahead of time.
You can also save by booking your hotel early or using the discounted conference rate. If checking out a new city, this is a good time to make any highly sought after dinner reservations too.
Look carefully at the conference brochure and plan which events you will attend. Register for those that meet your goals and consider one that might help you personally or professionally, outside of your current job. Don’t forget to allow time for networking, socializing, and rest. Gaining so much information in a short time can be exhausting.
Vendors can help you discover new trends, technologies, and products that you’re too busy in your day-to-day work life to research yourself. They can also help you reassess products you already use but that might need an upgrade, such as malpractice insurance. Go through the vendor list, highlight the ones that appeal to you, and mark where they’ll be on the floor plan.
Many large conferences are located in sprawling cities or spread across several buildings. Look up your hotel, conference location, parking lots, and any meeting spots ahead of time, and save them to your favorites folder in Google Maps. This way, when you open the app and type the first word of the location you need to go, it will pop up quickly.
You’ll want to pack several essentials for your conference:
This list of best nursing conferences is just the start. Whatever your interests or goals, organizations like the National League for Nursing, National Association of Hispanic Nurses, Association of Rehabilitation Nurses offer annual meetings and national and international conferences on emerging research in many areas that can enhance your nursing career.
Keep in mind that what you get out of nursing conferences often comes down to what you put into them. That’s why it’s so important to prepare for each conference by identifying your specific goals, planning your itinerary, packing appropriately, and taking advantage of the many networking opportunities.
But why let the knowledge sharing end with the conclusion of the conference? Commit to sharing your learnings with your community (both in-person and online) to maximize the impact of nursing conferences.
One last thing: while you are focusing on growing your career, it’s equally important to protect it. Nursing malpractice insurance from Berxi will provide you with:
Learn more about malpractice insurance for nurses.
Image courtesy of iStock.com/fizkes
Last updated on Dec 17, 2024.
Originally published on Mar 23, 2023.
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Joanna Hughes writes extensively on a broad range of topics including business, finance, education, design, and more. She lives on the Seacoast of New Hampshire with her family.
Elizabeth Hanes, RN Jul 24, 2024
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