
AONL 2021 Call for Abstracts
Breadcrumb
Submitting Abstracts for AONL 2021
2020 was—and continues to be—a crucible of learning and growth for nurses. It brought out the best of nurses as leaders, care providers and innovators. It brought to the forefront longstanding issues that have needed more significant attention and action. It has created a new normal for the profession. Abstract submission portal closes on Dec. 8 at 5:00 p.m. CT.
Conference Themes
The focus for AONL 2021 will be promoting both outcomes-driven best practices as well as innovations forged in the crisis to accelerate efforts to:
Advance health equity and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities
Promote caregiver mental health and wellbeing and foster resilience
Translate creative adaptations and innovations into enduring practices
Equip nurses to lead well in the new environment
Plus other hot topics
Important Dates
Submission Deadline Dec. 8, 2020
Abstract submission portal closes at 5:00 p.m. CT. Incomplete abstracts will not be reviewed.
Notification Sent Week of Feb. 22, 2021
Notification emails sent to the primary presenter.
Conference Registration & Housing Week of March 8, 2021
Registration and housing opens. (Discounts for selected presenters will be available)
Presenter Orientation March 2021
Brief orientations will be held in March to prepare accepted presenters to deliver compelling presentations in their specific formats.
AONL 2021 Conference July 11-14
In light of potential travel restrictions in 2021, we realize presenters may not be able to commit to presenting in-person. AONL 2021 will include a combination of in-person and virtual presentations. The abstract submission form will ask you to indicate your intent to travel to National Harbor in July 2021. We recognize your plans may change but your assessment will help us assess and organize the program.
Presentation Formats
The intended outcome of a good abstract is to create a compelling presentation that will inspire and engage through dissemination of innovative, applicable ideas that meet a real need. AONL 2021 offers several sessions formats to enhance the learning, sharing and networking experience for conference participants.






Writing a strong conference abstract can be challenging. It needs to be concise, capture the reader’s attention, summarize topic, outline key points and describe broader implications-all in a few hundred words. This webinar reviews essential elements & key qualities of a compelling abstract.
Abstract Requirements
Prior to developing an abstract, it is important to review the submission requirements, character limits within each section and AONL 2021 content priorities.
Tip: Organize, outline and write the abstract in a Word document before entering the content to the online submission. This will save time, ensure the word limits are met, avoid spelling errors and avoid browser time-out issues. After the abstract is written, please copy/paste the information into the submission form.
Outcomes should focus on what the learner will be able to do in their workplace after attending the session as a result of participating in the educational activity. Presenters are asked to describe this in one to two observable and measurable learning outcomes. The following list of verbs is organized according to Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning.
In up to 3,000 characters, share your story of proven and innovative practices in nursing leadership. The narrative should include: impact, outcomes, implications, application to other settings, lessons learned and practical takeaways. Reviewers will consider the quality of writing in expressing the key ideas.
In up to 500 characters, provide a compelling elevator pitch for your session. Summarize the focus of your presentation telling the audience what they will learn by attending your session.
Select up to five keywords from the keyword list that most closely relate to the presentation.
List the leader and/or setting this abstract would benefit the most, for example: academia, advanced practice registered nurse, ambulatory leader, consultant, executive, industry, manager, professional development. (Please list roles or settings, not descriptions.)
Provide a minimum of two pertinent literature references (APA style).
If the abstract is accepted, at least one of the presenters must be a full AONL member. Full members are Registered Nurses (RNs) who work in a health care environments. To confirm member status ahead of time, please contact AONL at (312) 422-2800 or aonlannualconference@aha.org.
Review Categories
Reviewers will score abstracts based on the following categories. Please keep these in mind when writing your abstract.
Relevance
The abstract should address important issues facing nursing leadership that are relevant and inspiring with practical takeaways.Impact
The abstract should include a clear description of lessons learned along with clear research and success measures.Evidence
The abstract should include relevant evidence that provides support for an initiative or practice.