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2026 Fall Virtual Conference Call for Abstracts
Emerging Voices and New Directions in Nursing History 

The American Association for the History of Nursing (AAHN) invites abstract submissions for the fall mini virtual conference, Emerging Voices and New Directions in Nursing History,  to be held October 30, 2026.  

The AAHN is offering two separate abstract tracks: (1) Scholarship/Research and (2) Teaching Nursing & Healthcare Education. Submissions should align with the criteria in one of the two abstract tracks. The conference call for abstracts closes on Sunday, August 16.

Track Descriptions

Scholarship/Research
As the premier forum for researchers, faculty, and enthusiasts of nursing history to share their scholarship, AAHN welcomes abstracts of original, recent, emerging, and works-in-progress utilizing historical methodology. The research can address events, issues, and topics in any area of nursing and healthcare history, from any region or time period, as well as those that engage related fields such as women’s labor, technology, economic history, and race and gender studies.

Teaching Nursing & Healthcare Education Track
Building on the success of the education-focused pre-conference session at the 40th Annual conference, AAHN welcomes abstract submissions describing  completed work (including planning, implementation, and evaluation) in teaching nursing or healthcare history, whether via an entire course, a module/unit, individual class/seminar, or specific teaching/learning activity.

Guidelines for Submission

Abstracts must arrive on or before Sunday, August 16, and must be submitted via the Airtable submission portal. Late submissions will not be considered. Presenters will be required to select an abstract track.

Abstracts should be 250–300 words or less, exclusive of footnoted references and learning objectives. Two versions of the abstract must be submitted: (1) a blinded version for peer review and (2) a non-blinded version that includes author and organizational information.

The blinded abstract must omit all references to the authors, institutions, organizations, and any other identifying information from the title and body of the abstract to ensure a fair and unbiased review process. Failure to submit a properly blinded abstract will result in automatic disqualification.

A complete submission will include all of the following elements: a blinded abstract, a non-blinded abstract, references, and learning objectives.

Abstract Body: 300 words max   

Scholarship/Research Track:
Each section of the abstract should be clearly identified using the following four headers:

 Purpose and Background:
  • provide an overview of the topic, including the problem identified, the major actors, their interests, and the historical period. Summarize the historical literature on the topic and contextualize your work within the key texts and approaches in the field. Describe how your work is different and what it contributes to the extant body of knowledge.
Methods / Course Design / Implementation Plan:
  •  Identify and describe the methodology, framework, or theory underpinning the work. Include information on data sources and/or archival collections accessed for primary source material.
Results / Outcomes:
  • Describe key findings from the work, supported by evidence discovered during data collection. Discuss the data analysis methods that informed your findings.
Conclusions / Implications:
  • Summarize your conclusion and discuss the significance of your findings for nursing research and/or practice. Indicate how your work contributes to a more inclusive history of nursing or healthcare and/or addresses a significant gap in nursing scholarship.

Teaching Nursing & Healthcare Education Track:
Submit a one-page abstract of the teaching exemplar, with each section of the abstract should be clearly identified using the following six headers:

Overview of the teaching/learning need:
  • Briefly describe the problem, issue, or knowledge/practice gap that was addressed through education with history content
Guiding theory/framework:
  • Briefly describe the teaching/learning and/or history philosophy, theory, or framework that guided education design.
Summary of the education:
  • Provide an overview of the education –the course, unit/module, class, or activity – to include the history content that was incorporated. Identify challenges incurred in the planning and implementation of the education, as applicable. 
Summary of the assessment/evaluation of the education and the learning outcome data:
  • Identify the learning assessment and evaluation methods used to assess achievement of the objectives and/or determine the effectiveness of the education. Summarize the effectiveness of the education based on outcome data, that may include student and educator experiential data.
Continuous improvement:
  • Include actual or planned changes based on outcome and learner/educator experiential data.
Implications for nursing education and/or practice:
  • Summarize the implications of the education on nursing education and learners’ professional identity and future practice.

References:
Any footnoted references from the abstract text should be cited using the Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition. References are a separate section and are not considered part of the abstract word count.

Learning Objectives:
Please state a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 3 learning objectives that you expect participants to meet by attending your session. Learning objectives utilize an action verb and must be congruent with the abstract text. New knowledge must be gained to qualify for continuing education (CE) contact hours.

Presenter Requirements

If accepted for presentation, all abstract presenters must:

  • Be AAHN members in good standing.
  • Submit all required forms and financial disclosure to AAHN as directed by the deadlines given.
  • Register for and attend the conference. Unfortunately, AAHN is unable to discount or waive registration costs for presenters.
  • Presenters will speak for 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes for questions. All sessions must be 30 minutes in total length to fulfill CNE requirements.

Abstract Review and Judging Criteria

Abstracts will be selected based on merit and the overall quality of the submission. The Abstract Review Committee will evaluate all abstracts according to the outlined elements for submissions, focusing on the following criteria:

Scholarship/Research Track:

  • The clarity and focus of the abstract;
  • The relevance of the work for nursing history, nursing education, and/or nursing practice;
  • The richness, complexity, and depth of analysis presented;
  • The appropriateness of the conclusions and implications based on data collected;
  • The content is manageable for the intended presentation type; and
  • The originality and/or innovation of the work.

Teaching Nursing & Healthcare Education Track

  • Clarity and focus.
  • Manageable for intended presentation type.
  • Strength of evidence base for the education and for the continuous improvement plan.
  • Relevance of the history for students’ future nursing practice (strength of implications).
  • Originality, creativity and/or innovation of the education.
  • Completeness and adequacy of abstract

*By submitting an abstract, you give permission to AAHN to use the work for educational purposes only. This includes, but is not limited to, inclusion in the conference program, posting to the AAHN website before and/or after the conference, and the use of excerpts or themes for conference marketing efforts.