Sessions

Too many nurses feel stuck—but you don’t have to be one of them. In this kick-off session, learn how to evaluate opportunities, invest in your growth, and create a personalized development roadmap. With practical tips on mentorship, education, and market trends, you’ll walk away ready to take control of your next career move.

As the opening keynote for Nursing Careers Week 2025, Dr. Beverly Malone will illuminate how nurses can integrate their full identities—personal, professional, cultural—into thriving careers built on purpose, resilience, and leadership. Drawing from her decades of experience as a frontline nurse, educator, policymaker, and global nursing leader, she will weave together the three event tracks focused on empowered, resilient and global nursing. Through uplifting stories and action oriented insights, Dr. Malone will help participants see nursing not as a one way investment, but as a two way path—where caring for others enriches themselves, returning confidence, connection, and renewed commitment. She’ll frame nursing as more than a profession, but the most trusted vocation—inviting attendees to step into leadership, self care, and community with vision, empathy, and strength.

As Nursing Careers Week concludes, this energizing session with Joyce Fitzpatrick will leave you inspired and equipped to take control of your future. Based on her extensive research and leadership, Joyce will explore the critical factors every nurse should consider mentorship, education, work environments, networking, and personal development to move from career curiosity to career confidence. It's not just a talk; it's your launchpad.

Discover how nurses can amplify their impact beyond the bedside by serving on boards and taking on governance roles. This session will highlight the value of nurse voices in leadership and decision-making spaces, feature personal stories from nurses already serving in these roles, and offer practical guidance for those ready to step into advocacy and governance. Learn how your clinical insight can help shape policy and drive meaningful change in healthcare and beyond.

A candid panel discussion exploring the common mental health diagnoses among nurses—including anxiety disorders, depression, and PTSD. Mental health professionals will break down each condition, share signs to look for, and offer guidance on when and how to seek safe, effective support.

Join DAISY Foundation CEO Deb Zimmermann for a moving exploration of how compassionate care not only transforms patient experiences but also fuels nurse resilience. This session will highlight the enduring power of compassion to create connection, purpose, and strength—especially in the most challenging moments of nursing. Discover how leading with heart can sustain both your practice and your well-being.

Even the most successful nurse leaders have faced failure—sometimes with devastating consequences. In this candid panel, experienced respected nurses share low points in their careers, from clinical mistakes to career missteps, and how they turned those moments into turning points. This session will remind you that setbacks don't define you—how you respond does.

They dreamed of a nursing career in America and they made it real. Hear personal accounts of international nurses who faced setbacks, navigated uncertainty, and found success in the U.S. healthcare system. Their stories offer more than insight, they offer hope, encouragement, and a glimpse of what's possible.

This session brings together internationally educated nurses to share honest, hard-earned advice for others preparing to transition into U.S. nursing. From adapting to fast-paced technology to coping with cultural shifts and family separation, their stories offer real-world guidance to help smooth your path and set realistic expectations.