• Not previously presented at an ANPD (formerly NNSDO) annual convention.
• Not previously presented at another national conference.
• Only individual submissions are allowed; group presentations are not permitted.
• If selected, presenters must register for the full 2025 convention at their own expense.

Candidates must submit an abstract that includes:

• Include a minimum of three literary references supporting the abstract's content; references must be within the last 5 years or be seminal works.
• Provide a brief topic description (50 words max).
• Submit an abstract (250 words max).
• Ensure the submission excludes presenter names, organizations, or identifiers, unless specifically requested.
• Avoid commercial content, including brand names of commercial products.

• Address relevance to current challenges, trends, or issues in nursing professional development (NPD) practice.
• Identify a professional practice gap relevant to NPD practitioners.
  • Define the gap as the difference between the current and desired state.
  • Example: Currently, professional development team members lack self-awareness and knowledge to address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in practice which are needed to promote better health outcomes and reduce health disparities caused by inequities
• State a measurable session outcome for your educational session that is tied to the identified practice gap. The outcome reflects what the presenter expects the learner (the Aspire audience) should be able to do after attending the session in a way that can be quantified.
  • Example: Upon completion of this session, 80% of participants will indicate that this session increases their knowledge of strategies to implement to support the diversity, equity, and inclusion in NPD practice.
• Ensure abstract content aligns with the measurable outcome.
• Use clear, concise content based on current best evidence.
• Make the abstract content applicable to a variety NPD practice settings.
• Provide a specific, clear, and engaging session description.
• Specify learner engagement methods that align with the measurable outcome.
• Eliminate typographical and grammatical errors. 

Presentations are judged on the criteria listed above as well as:

• Organize content effectively.
• Adhere to the 15-minute timeframe.
• Demonstrate professionalism.
• Showcase strong presentation skills.

Prepare to complete each section of your abstract submission. We recommend drafting your content in a separate document before entering it into the submission system.

• Presenter Information
  • Include presenter name, credentials, and a 2-3 sentence biography in the respective sections. 
  • Star Search presentations allow only one speaker; co-presenters are not permitted. 
  • Do not include your name, organization, or other identifiers in any section unless specifically requested. Submissions with identifiers in other sections will be disqualified.
• Abstract Tile
  • Abstract titles must be 10 words or fewer. 
  • Use keywords from the abstract body. 
  • Titles should clearly reflect the abstract content. 
  • All words in the title count toward the word limit, including symbols (e.g., “&”) and hyphenated words (e.g., in-person).
• Abstract Body
  • Limit abstract to 250 words. 
  • Cover key components of the presentation. 
  • Address a current/emerging challenge, trend, or issue in NPD practice, or present innovative or exemplary foundational knowledge in NPD practice.
  • Ensure the abstract is concise and cohesive. 
  • Do not include citations; these will be listed separately.
• Identification of Professional Practice Gap 
  • Relevant to NPD practitioners. 
  • Highlights the gap between current and desired states. 
  • Limited to 50 words.
• Learning Outcome
  • Focus on what the learner (the Aspire audience) will be able to do after the presentation. 
  • Ensure the outcome is measurable.
• Learner Engagement Methods 
  • Learner engagement refers to the active participation of Aspire Convention attendees, not learners in your NPD work.
  • Must align with the identified measurable outcome.
  • Should be suitable for the allotted presentation time and format.
• Session Description 
  • Limit to 1-2 sentences (maximum 50 words). 
  • Provide a short, compelling description of your planned presentation. 
  • Will be used in promotional materials such as convention brochures and schedule descriptions.
• Level of Intended Audience 
  • Select the audience competency level that fits your presentation:
    • Novice 
      • New to NPD.
      • Practicing in NPD for 2 years or less.
    • Competent 
      • Certified or pursuing certification. 
      • Analyzes educational needs of individuals, organizations, or communities.
      • Identifies desired NPD outcomes. 
      • Develops and implements plans to achieve NPD outcomes. 
      • Evaluates progress towards outcome attainment.
    • Expert 
      • Mentors novice and competent practitioners. 
      • Serves as a role model in the specialty. 
      • Possesses advanced skills or knowledge in leading NPD practice. 
      • Develops tools, theories, and knowledge to advance the specialty. 
      • Recognized as an expert by others. 
      • Integrates all NPD practitioner roles into practice.
      • For expert audiences, list the NPD specialist competencies addressed in your presentation. Use the standards from Nursing Professional Development: Scope & Standards of Practice, 4th ed.
• Clinical Nature
  • Indicate if your presentation is clinical or non-clinical. Select "Clinical" if it refers to patient care or related products; otherwise, choose "Non-Clinical."
  • Example: If the session teaches how to manage Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (a critical care patient treatment) and how to use the therapy equipment – yes, this session would be considered clinical in nature for two reasons: it teaches patient care, and it also discusses products used in patient care. If the session is focused on using an augmented reality teaching modality to facilitate clinician education during a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy class – no, it is not considered clinical in nature.
• Literary References 
  • This is the only section of your abstract submission where references should be listed. 
  • References in this section do not count toward the 250-word limit. 
  • List a minimum of three literary references in complete APA 7th edition format (hanging indents may be omitted).
  • Examples include evidence-based practice articles, peer-reviewed journals, clinical guidelines, and best practices.
  • References must be current (no older than 5 years), except for classic works such as:
    • Example: Benner, P. (1984) From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing practice. Addison-Wesley.
• Other Instructions 
  • Spell out all abbreviations, acronyms, or initials on first use. 
  • Carefully proofread your submission to ensure clarity, proper flow, and correct spelling and grammar.