Past Institutes
2026 Annual Institute - Spokane, WA
2026 ACHNE Annual Institute
Doubletree by Hilton Spokane City Center
322 N Spokane Falls Ct, Spokane, WA 99201
The world is louder than ever—it’s time to tune into what matters.
We are thrilled to open registration for the 2026 ACHNE Annual Institute. This year’s theme, "Beyond the Noise: Elevating Community Public Health Nursing through Evidence," serves as a call to action for educators and practitioners alike. In an era of information overload and rapid change, our role is to provide the steady, evidence-based signal that guides our communities toward health and equity.
Our 2026 program is designed to move past the distractions and focus on the core pillars of our practice: transparency, science, and ethics. ### Why Attend? This year’s Institute focuses on the bridge between classroom innovation and community impact. Together, we will:
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Uphold Integrity: Explore methods to maintain transparency and ethics in all public health decision-making.
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Amplify Voices: Use evidence-based practice to reflect the true needs of affected communities, ensuring their voices aren't lost in the noise.
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Strengthen the Frontline: Refine advocacy efforts for public health officials and those on the frontlines.
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Evolve Education: Examine pedagogical approaches and curricula changes that prepare a workforce with the scientific understanding necessary to guide, protect, and lead.
Intended Audience
Public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, public health nurses, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, population health, social determinants of health, and other public health issues.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive community for those committed to excellence and innovation in community/public/population health nursing education, research, and practice.
2026 Conference Objectives
- Explore methods to uphold the principles of transparency, science, and ethics in all Community/Public Health decision-making processes.
- Identify ways Community/Public Health Nursing is utilizing evidence-based practice and reflecting voices of affected communities.
- Describe approaches to strengthen advocacy efforts for public health officials and frontline workers.
- Examine pedagogical approaches that promote interprofessional education, practice, and community engagement.
- Explore opportunities to advocate for public health funding and services that improve health outcomes for families, neighborhoods, and communities, while advancing environmental health and planetary well-being.
- Discuss implications and influence of changes in academic curricula to prepare a competent public health workforce with the qualifications, experience, and scientific understanding necessary to guide, protect, and lead.
This nursing continuing professional development activity has been submitted for approval to the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
2025 Annual Institute - Columbia, SC
2025 Annual Institute
Hilton Columbia Center
924 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201
June 5 - 7, 2025
Intended Audience
Public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, public health nurses, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, population health, social determinants of health, and other public health issues.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive community for those committed to excellence and innovation in community/public/population health nursing education, research, and practice.
2025 Conference Objectives
- Derive innovative pedagogical approaches to community/public/population health nursing education;
- Debate the implications and influence of community/public health nursing education on current and emerging academic program and workforce needs;
- Explore the effects of historical, social, and physical contexts on population with a focus on how health equity intersects with these contexts to shape health outcomes and disparities;
- Highlight new science and evidence to support best practices in community/public health nursing education and practice;
- Examine innovative community/academic partnerships and their impact on nursing education and workforce development; and
- Critique the implications and effects of recent social and political events on community/public/population health education.
This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the Georgia Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
2024 Annual Institute - Chicago North Shore
2024 Annual Institute
Meeting at the Crossroads of Healthcare
Chicago North Shore
June 6 - 8, 2024
Renaissance Chicago North Shore Hotel
933 Skokie Blvd.
Northbrook, IL 60062
Intended Audience
Public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, public health nurses, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, population health, social determinants of health, and other public health issues.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive community for those committed to excellence and innovation in community/public/population health nursing education, research, and practice.
Conference Objectives
- Explore the effects of historical, social, and physical contexts on health and how they should inform community/public/population health nursing education and research;
- Describe creative pedagogical approaches to community/public/population health nursing education, especially in the changing nursing education environment;
- Discuss implications and influence of community/public health nursing practice on current and emerging policies and programs, especially workforce and C/PHN faculty development;
- Examine new and innovative community/academic partnerships—including interprofessional education and practice—needed to meet the new AACN Essentials;
- Debate the implications and effects of recent social and political events on community/public/population health nurses and nurse educators/researchers (e.g., burnout, workforce issues, political engagement);
- Explore social ecology intersections (i.e., rural/suburban/urban; U.S regional, socio-economic, etc.) of community/public health nursing practice, education, and research.
2023 - Joint Conference with APHN
ACHNE & APHN 2023 Joint Conference On Demand
2023 Joint Conference ProgramACHNE and APHN have a long history of collaboration focusing on mutual topics of interest that strengthen each organization's mission. Simply put, we recognize we are Stronger Together. To that end, we are pleased to announce the objectives for the 2023 ACHNE APHN Joint Conference.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive meeting ground for Community/Public/Population Health Nursing Leaders – both educators and practitioners – committed to excellence in community, population, and public health nursing; To Advance population health by bridging Community/Public/Population Nursing practice, education, research, policy, and leadership together.
Objectives
- Identify and build upon emerging opportunities for academic-practice partnerships to transform PHN practice for the 21st century;
- Highlight new insights supporting innovation in PHN practice, education, scholarship, and policy to advance health equity;
- Identify and build interprofessional scholarship interests between PHN educators and practitioners;
- Explore emerging trends in PHN preparedness for and response to public health emergencies and disasters;
- Describe collaborative approaches supporting PHN transition from training to practice;
- Explore strategies to support the recruitment, retention, and resilience of a diverse PHN workforce;
- Explore approaches to increase capacity of the PHN workforce to assure foundational public health services and capabilities;
- Explore methods to demonstrate the value of PHNs (e.g. establish nurse sensitive indicators for community/public/population health nursing);
- Identify experiential and educational preparation for faculty teaching clinical and didactic components of the AACN competencies focused on community/public/population health nursing at the basic and advanced levels.
2022
Looking Back: Lessons We Carry Forward to Shape the Future of Community and Public Health Nursing
2022 Annual Institute Abstract Book
Click here to download the 2022 Abstract Book
This document contains the abstracts for the 2022 Annual Institute Podium, ePoster, and committee-sponsored Plenary sessions.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive meeting ground for those committed to excellence in community and public health nursing education, research, and practice, focusing on learning from history to improve future population health practice.
Intended Audience
Public health nurses, public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, population health, and other public health issues.
Conference Objectives
- Identify successes challenges and missed opportunities in the history of community/public health nursing, such as insights from the COVID-19 pandemic in the US and globally.
- Describe historically informed, innovative strategies to enhance community/public health nursing education, research/scholarship, and practice.
- Discuss implications and influence of historical community/public health nursing practice on current and emerging policies and programs.
- Identify past, present, and future social justice opportunities to foster healthy, equitable communities.
- Explore past, present, and future strategies for leadership development of community/public health/ population health
This activity has been approved by the Georgia Nurses Association for 17.5 contact hours. Georgia Nurses Association is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
2021
Advocacy in Community/Public Health Nursing Policy, Education, and Research.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly and supportive meeting ground for those committed to excellence in community and public health nursing education, research, and practice, focusing on advocacy.
Intended Audience
Public health nurses, public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, population health, and other public health issues.
Conference Objectives
- Explore the role of the nurse as a change agent in creating systems that bridge the delivery of health care and social needs care in the community.
- Enhance advocacy skills for populations through innovative educational models or programs.
- Discuss implications and potential impacts of current and emerging public health policies and programs on population health.
- Explore use of technology in advocating for policy change.
- Identify research needed to identify or develop effective nursing practices for eliminating gaps and disparities in health care.
- Identify strategies for developing systems-based practices that influence policies that impact communities and populations.
Annual Institute 2021 Resources
Download the 2021 Complete Abstract Compendium to view abstracts and summaries for all 2021 Annual Institute keynotes, live presentations, on-demand podium and symposium presentations, posters, and student posters.
2021 Author Listing - Podium Symposium Poster
2021 Author Listing - Student Posters
The 2021 AI Author Listing and Student Author Listing files are a "Who's who" of the 2021 Annual Institute.
2020
The ACHNE Annual Institute is a VIRTUAL event using a combination of technology to create a rich tapestry of educational content; attendees will have access to ALL presentations and ePosters. Updates will be posted as they become available.
As always, attendees with questions are welcome to contact us at ACHNE@meinet.com
Purpose
To provide a scholarly institute whereby community health nursing educators will collaborate and present their accomplishments; share strategies towards building a culture of health; promote health equity, and aim for community wellbeing as a vision for Healthy People 2030.
Intended Audience
Public health nurses, public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, populations health, and other public health issues.
Conference Objectives
- Examine the role and scope of practice of the population health-focused nurse in addressing national and global health goals and objectives.
- Explore innovative educational models or programs that address population health competencies through active and experiential learning.
- Identify opportunities for partnering with nontraditional agencies to look at health promotion and disease prevention where people live, work and play.
- Describe community/public health nursing practices that address current and emerging population health issues and trends, such as the opioid epidemic and rise in preventable infectious disease in the U.S. and globally.
- Discuss emerging issues and trends in community/public health nursing education, such as increased use of technology/informatics, emphasis on interprofessional education, rise in online teaching platforms, and evolving curriculum.
Continuing Education
This continuing nursing education activity will be reviewed by the Alabama State Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
2019
ACHNE's 41st Annual Institute was held May 30 June 1, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency, Phoenix, AZ. The theme for the 41st Annual Institute is Culture of Health: Equity Thrives on Diversity.
Purpose
To provide a scholarly institute whereby community health nursing educators will collaborate and present their accomplishments; share strategies towards building a culture of health; promote health equity; and aim for community wellbeing as a vision for Healthy People 2030.
Intended Audience
Public health nurses, public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, populations health, and other public health issues.
Conference Objectives
- Identify ways to move Healthy People 2030 goals and objectives forward, including community wellbeing.
- Describe strategies to operationalize the culture of health.
- Explore programs or services where multiple sectors are collaborating to improve population health.
- Examine innovative educational models or programs in underserved communities that promote health equity.
- Demonstrate the influence of diversity as a driver for health equity.
Continuing Education
This activity has been submitted to the Alabama State Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. The Alabama State Nurses Association is accredited as an approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).
2018
ACHNE's 40th Annual Institute will be held June 7-9, 2018, at the Sheraton New Orleans, New Orleans. Theme for this 40th Anniversary Institute is, Celebrating the Past, Envisioning the Future.
For 40 years, throughout an evolution of health care, ACHNE has remained a steadfast and supportive association advancing public health nursing. Our initial leaders had great vision and their legacy continues to influence health care to this day. At this year's Annual Institute, we will celebrate these 40 years of remarkable successes. Past Presidents will share their journeys and new emerging leaders will launch their innovative ideas. The amazing roles that community health nurses hold as educators, leaders, practitioners, researchers, policy makers, authors, innovators, and many more will be showcased. As we build on our accomplishments we also build on collaborations shared across sectors. We will come together to collectively envision the future. Plan to be inspired to lead the way in a new changing landscape of health care, and to take away endless possibilities to influence future generations.
Purpose
To provide a forum for celebrating the success and value of 40 years of ACHNE and to create a vision for the future of the association as well as the impact of community / public health nursing, education, practice, and research.
Intended Audience
Public health nurses, public health and community health nursing educators, public health leaders, and students and partners interested in public health, health equity, populations health, and other public health issues.
Conference Objectives
- Identify innovative roles and achievements of community / public health / population health /global health nurses
- Envision the future roles of community / public health nurses in education, practice, and research
- Strategize ways that ACHNE’s core values* can guide the future of community/public health nursing
- Collaborative partnerships
- Evidence based practice
- Excellence in education
- Inclusiveness
- Leadership development
- Professional development
- Research and scholarship
- Integrate mentoring, coalition building, and collaboration with national associations to build the future of the profession
- Summarize the contributions of ACHNE over the past 40 years in advancing community/public health nursing education, research, and practice.
Continuing Education
This activity has been submitted to the Alabama State Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. The Alabama State Nurses Association is accredited as an approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (ANCC).
Exciting 40th Anniversary Highlights
- Pre-conference workshops on Thursday:
- In the Board Room: Practical Strategies for Serving on Boards, sponsored by the Research Committee
- Tour of New Orleans and Its Resilient Communities, sponsored by the Program Committee
- Opening Keynote Speaker: Susan B. Hasmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Advisor for Nursing at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Director of the Future of Nursing Campaign for Action.
- Gala dinner on Thursday evening to include Forum with Past ACHNE Presidents
- Plenary Session on Simulation, sponsored by the Education Commitee
- Closing Keynote Speaker: Carolyn Williams, PhD, RN, FAAN, Professor and Dean Emeritus, College of Nursing at the University of Kentucky and Past President of American Academy of Nursing.
2017
Conference Objectives
- Explore methods to participate, promote, and develop a national public health nursing education and healthy public policy agenda to influence future health care delivery
- Examine processes and approaches for engaging in local, regional, national advocacy to promote public health nursing education and the role in population health
- Develop communication and decision making strategies for managing change for benefits of students, , community and populations.
- Engage in collaboration and interprofessional networking to promote health in global communities and the public health nursing workforce
- Evaluate the role of mentoring in career management
- Assess processes for becoming involved in local, state, national and international task forces, committees, and boards to influence change.
Make your reservation for Friday evening's "Meet, Greet & Eat"
Join other ACHNE attendees for dinner on Friday Evening at local Baltimore restaurants for ACHNE's "Meet, Greet & Eat". Reservations have been made at each location for the designated time and cannot exceed 10 guests. Payment is the responsibility of the attendee.
Advanced sign up will be closed on Monday, June 5th and will be available on-site at the registration desk. Click here to make your reservation.
Volunteer to be a Moderator - Be an Invaluable Part of the Annual Institute!
ACHNE is in search of volunteers to help moderate the 21 sessions being presented this year in Baltimore, MD. This responsibility only requires a little bit of your time, but is invaluable to ACHNE and keeping the annual institute running smoothly.
Moderator guidelines have been developed to give you a better sense of what this role entails. Click here to review.
If you are willing to support ACHNE in this role, please email Ann Crosse at expressing your interest. You may also contact her with any questions you may have.
Hotel/Travel Information
The meeting will be held at the Lord Baltimore Hotel, 20 W. Baltimore St., Baltimore, Maryland 21201. A special rate of $175 single/double (plus applicable taxes) has been arranged for attendees. For reservations, book online or call the hotel directly at 855-539-1928. Please identify yourself as an ACHNE attendee to receive the special rate. The reservation cutoff date is May 17, 2017; thereafter the hotel will accept reservations on a space available basis only at the current market rate.
ACHNE's management partner, The Kellen Company, has been able to provide you with helpful discounts on airfare with flights on Delta. Save up to 10% on regular fares to Baltimore this year! Please click here to review the details on receiving a discount.
Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is about 12 miles from the Lord Baltimore Hotel. Estimated drive time is 30 minutes from BWI Airport and 75 minutes from Washington DC (IAD). Taxi fare is estimated at $35 each way. Light Rail is available for $1.60 per person each way and takes approximately 40 minutes.
Self Parking is available at the official garage of the the Lord Baltimore located at 213 West Fayette Street, two blocks from the hotel. Overnight rates are $15 per night. Valet parking is $31 per night plus tax.
Registration Information
| Registration Fees: | By May 12 | After May 12 |
| ACHNE Member | $350 | $425 |
| Non-Member | $485 | $585 |
| Student Member | $125 | $140 |
| Retired | $175 | $230 |
| Friday Only | $210 | $235 |
| Pre-Conference Workshops | $75 | $75 |
| CE Credits | $20 | $20 |
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations received in writing by May 19, 2017 will be issued a refund less a $50 processing fee. NO REFUNDS FOR CANCELLATIONS RECEIVED AFTER MAY 19, 2017. ACHNE reserves the right to cancel. In the unlikely event of cancellation, ACHNE is not responsible for any costs, damages, or other expenses of any kind, including, without limitation, transportation, and/or hotel costs incurred by registrant. Speakers subject to change without notice.
Exhibitor/Sponsor/Advertising Information
ACHNE is now accepting applications for Exhibits and Sponsorships. Please click here to download the 2017 Exhibitor Prospectus.
About ACHNE
ACHNE provides a meeting ground for those committed to excellence in community and public health nursing education, research, and practice.
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ACHNE focuses on research in the area of nursing education and staff development
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