Welcome to The Bold Brief—

You are a member of this community of top-notch expert nurses and healthcare professionals who aspire to be “bold” in career and life.

We want to be bold in our life’s purpose, and bold in life and career choices so that we can live with authenticity, balance, and meaningful challenges, driving forward with confidence.

Free Training! Amazing Sponsor. Free Event Resources!

So, bold by association…continues

Understanding This Opportunity

If you follow social media for nurses or if you attended a recent professional conference (live or virtual), you may have felt the power of peer-assisted learning (PAL)¹: real nurses, real practice, real solutions. Behind every poster and podium session was someone like you … who made a choice to submit and abstract about their ongoing project or experiences.

Right now is the ideal time to prepare then submit your abstract. Many organizations open calls for posters and presentations within 30–60 days after their annual conference.

Do not wait. This is your window.

Why This Matters

Be yourself.

Some of the most impactful sessions come from real nurses, real practice, sharing real solution-based projects from their own workplace such as staff education initiatives, QI efforts, policy rollouts, EHR changes, new practice models, student/resident innovations, or clinical tools that changed practice and patient outcomes.

So, you do not need to be a “published researcher” or “national speaker” to submit an abstract.

Submitting an abstract (poster/presenter) does 3 things for life & career:

1. Builds your confidence and visibility.

2. Shows initiative and leadership even if not accepted.

3. Creates clarity around your ideas and your impact.

Nurses want to learn from nurses → This is the power of peer-assisted learning (PAL). So, an abstract submission is all about showing your professional work as well as your workplace including successes, growth, and areas to improve.

A Season of Possibilities

In case you missed it, Bold by Association, a repeat training series.

I will bring you the inside strategies with easy steps to make the most of your professional memberships and event attendance so that you can:

• ✨ Build powerful connections with intention

• ✨ Identify hidden life and career opportunities that others miss

• ✨Leverage your association memberships to accelerate your life, career, and leadership path

• ✨ Gain access to resources you did not know existed!

Why This Training Series Matters!

As a member, consultant, educator, innovator, as well as board member for nursing associations, I have firsthand experience on how involvement in nursing and non-nursing professional associations can transform your career.

This fall, I will be attending several major conferences across nursing, healthcare innovation, and leadership. You will get the insider lessons and strategies so you can apply what I’m sharing to your own life and career.

Think of this series as your Personal Backstage Pass to:

• Strategic networking insights. Start here.

• Personal branding opportunities

• Entry-level and Leadership pathways

• Innovation-driven trends shaping healthcare

And, if you have never had the chance to attend a conference in-person or virtually, or a non-nursing trade show - you have so much to learn so that you maximize your time, efforts, and $$.

This series will be packed with free and paid resources for subscribers and members!

1440 Media is Sponsoring The Bold Brief, Again!

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5 Easy Steps to Submit Your Abstract ASAP

STEPS I-2 Start simple with what is know→Accepted Abstracts & Your Topic

1. Accepted abstracts (posters & session/podium speakers)

   1. Read the most recent 2024-2025 conference brochure for good abstract examples.

      1. Start with AMSN, ANA, Sigma, ENA, NAHN, NAHQ, and others like your state nursing association.

      2. Do not overlook local chapter meetings/symposium opportunities.

   2. Look at exemplars, both posters and session presenter abstracts

      1. Read for content and structure to learn what was chosen.

      2. Use the sample abstracts to guide your ideation structure.

      3. Save sample abstracts or previously accepted abstracts to reverse-engineer format and topic types so save your time later.

      4. Do not focus on “Keynote Session” Speakers (yet) unless your are preparing to be a key note speaker.

2. Choose your topic

   1. Brainstorm then pick a topic you already are working on so → no extra work required. Take notes on your ideas on a project or problem-solution already in motion at your workplace

   2. Ideas? Think policy rollout, new protocol, staff training, patient education, documentation fix, or data trends you explored.

   3. If this is your first submission, the work is not about perfection. This is a practice round.

STEPS 3-4. Keep Move Forward Simply with Baby Steps

3. Draft a rough outline that includes what you are doing/did, why you did it, and what changed. Keep it simple!

   1. Start with a simple outline format. Use bullets to build your ideas and details. Revise your draft outline by using only the current criteria.

   2. Follow these steps:

      1. Brainstorm → Outline the structure of ideas → Write a rough draft → Revise → Edit → Submit!

      2. Emailed me of you want a sample outline from a recent podium presentation.

   3. Consider a partner/co-authors of the abstract. Sharing the work and plan with colleague submission

4. Understand the submission criteria/deadlines as early as possible via email or website.

   1. Sign up to receive email notification about he next conference dates and abstract submission deadlines.

   2. Poster and speaker sessions abstracts may have different timelines and criteria.

   3. See this sample “Call for Abstracts/Speakers” here or here

STEP 5. Submit!

5. Submit!

   1. Before the final submission: Follow the criteria; keep the full sentence word count within the criteria/guidance. Make sure your abstract uses language that the audience needs for learning/implementation.

   2. Have a colleague read/review with suggestions.

   3. Click submit. Done!

Get Involved: POV Catalyst

📌 What’s one topic from your workplace or practice that could be a poster or session?

Scroll ⬇️ Down to Comment→ Share your ideas → Ask a question.

Submit in 2025 to Learn in 2026!

• Use this submission to learn. You are not “late.” You are exactly on time.

• You may or may not get accepted. Use this submission as a dry run the learn the process.

• If you are accepted, start working on your submission because the actual poster/slides will likely be due 60 days or more before the conference in the coming year.

Submit in 2026 to Lead in 2027 and Beyond!

• Self-leadership is the practice of intentionally influencing your thinking, behavior, and actions towards your objectives. It involves self-awareness, self-regulation, and the proactive approach to leading oneself through life's complexities and relational dynamics.

• Mastering self-leadership is a long-term journey that empowers you to lead an authentic, balanced, and fulfilling life, prepared to effectively handle complex situations, and maintain meaningful relationships.

• Submit an abstract in 2026 and beyond to to cultivate these skills and unlock your potential as a self-leader.

📩 What’s Next?

1. Challenge: Submit one abstract by November 31, even if it is not perfect.

2. Forward this Bold Brief edition to one colleague who has a project worth sharing beyond the workplace and bedside!

You have worked hard to build your expertise. Now it’s time to leverage it strategically, intentionally, and boldly.

See you soon!

P.S. If you want to learn from me on a daily basis, connect with me on LinkedIn.

💗If you find this content useful for your life, career, and happiness, please share using your custom link!

Remember that this is a dedicated space for you, the nurses at the bedside and beyond, the committed healthcare professionals ready to explore transformative career paths beyond traditional roles. Every week, we'll dig into evidence-based strategies, insights, and stories designed to empower you to take bold steps toward a fulfilling career and life outside the hospital setting.

1  Effectiveness of Peer-Assisted Learning in health professional education: A scoping review of systematic reviews. Link