National Nursing Forum commences with over 800 delegates

From today, more than 800 nursing leaders will gather at the National Convention Centre Canberra for the National Nursing Forum, the Australian College of Nursing’s (ACN) signature event. ‘Courage, Compassion, Connection — Empowering Nurses for the Future’ is this year’s theme, with more than 800 delegates and over 40 exhibitors in attendance.

Running 23–25 July, keynote speakers include Shadow Health Minister Senator Anne Ruston (8.35 am, Friday, 25 July), with highlights including:

• Professor Jill White FACN unveiling the renewed definition of ‘nursing’ and ‘a nurse’, for the first time in Australia;
• Professor Alison McMillan PSM MACN, the Commonwealth Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, addressing nursing workforce sustainability (9.15 am, Wednesday, 23 July);
• A tri-nations panel on combating racism in nursing; and
• the announcement of the new ACN president.
   

On Thursday, 24 July, Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler will deliver the Ministerial Address and announce the winner of the sixth annual Health Minister’s Award for Nursing Trailblazers. This year’s three finalists are:

• Professor Michelle Barakat-Johnson, who, at Australia’s first hybrid model of specialist wound care — the Wound Care Command Centre, launched in 2023 at the Royal Prince Alfred Virtual Hospital in Sydney — has revolutionised wound care delivery;
• Kaitlyn Cooke, creator of a fully plastic-free, compostable, medical-grade face mask — Ecodefend — that decomposes into organic material after 180 days and can be repurposed as biochar feed; and
• Dr Andrea Taylor MACN, who developed the Geriatric Emergency Department Intervention, a nurse-led, evidence-based strategy designed to meet the unique needs of older adults from the moment they arrive at hospital.
   

Image credit: iStock.com/DMP