ANA 8th Annual Nursing Quality Conference ™
February 5 - 7, 2014 in Phoenix, Arizona

Call for Abstracts

The American Nurses Association is pleased to present its annual Nursing Quality Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. The theme for the 2014 conference is Advancing Nursing Outcomes: Research, Practice, Innovation. This unique conference provides opportunities to recognize quality issues that are influential to nursing practice and how it relates to addressing organizational performance to improve patient outcomes. Information regarding the conference, including the conference registration fees, will be available on the ANA website at www.nursingworld.org. The web-site will be updated periodically with new information. Please contact ANA�s Meeting Services team in the meantime with questions about the conference at meetings@ana.org.

• Conference Goals and Topic Areas

  Conference Goals

  
  

  • Examine Various Innovative Models Used to Reduce Hospital Acquired Conditions and Improve Quality of Care
  • Illustrate and Analyze Strategies Designed for Rapid Improvement in Quality
  • Analyze Methods for Translating Research and Evidence into Practice
  • Examine Healthy and Safe Work Environments and Strategies to Improve the Work Environment

  
  

  Conference Topic Areas

  
  Abstracts are being sought for presentations or posters in the following topic areas. Abstracts must demonstrate one of the following:
  
  

  Examine Various Innovative Models Used to Reduce Hospital Acquired Conditions and Improve Quality of Care
  
  • Describe innovations that promote interprofessional and multilevel involvement in reducing hospital acquired conditions
  • Identify leading practices from organizations who participated in the Partnership for Patients Hospital Engagement Networks.
  • Combine data from NDNQI and other disciplines' quality measures to create mutual quality goals
  • Evaluate frontline staff�s awareness of contribution to care quality for customized data sharing
  • Incorporate workflow considerations into quality initiatives
  
  Illustrate and Analyze Strategies Designed for Rapid Improvement in Quality
  • Identify rapid improvement strategies that have successfully achieved desired outcomes
  • Engage interprofessional team members in reviewing improvement strategies and their contribution to achieving outcomes
  • Demonstrate methods for sharing QI successes across disciplines and with patients.
  • Identify methods for using NDNQI measures to achieve positive patient outcomes
  • Identify ways strategies were developed from daily care of frontline nurses
  
  Analyze Methods for Translating Research and Evidence into Practice
  • Construct a QI initiative based on QI research
  • Integrate students and academic centers in your QI initiatives
  • Develop academic partnerships that create QI scholars in practice
  • Demonstrate connections between interprofessional frontline staff�s work, NDNQI data and/or nursing sensitive measures, and structure/process/outcomes
  
  Examine Healthy and Safe Work Environments and Strategies to Improve the Work Environment
  • Compare and contrast characteristics of a safe workplace environment
  • Describe work environments that create joy and meaningful work for staff
  • Examine successful strategies implemented to improve the work environment and the metrics used to evaluate success
  • Analyze metrics, tools and resources used to create safer health care for patients
  • Determine correlation between positive work environments and nursing quality

• General Submission Instructions

  1. Read Abstract Author Instructions below and gather required information
  2. Read Abstract Format Guidelines (Abstract Format Tab) and prepare each abstract section in compliance with Guidelines
  3. Click link "submit your abstract" link
  4. Complete online submission form:
     • Enter the title of your abstract (Limited to 120 characters, including spaces. Should clearly indicate the specific nature of the study or project)
     • Select preferred presentation format: oral, on-site poster
     • Select research, innovative or practice strategy track
     • Select conference topic area
     • Enter complete author information (limited to 3)
     • Enter each section of the abstract text in the spaces provided (The sections differ between the two tracks and are described below.)
     • You may NOT include any of the following in the abstract text:
       • Charts
       • Graphs
       • Tables
       • Underlines
       • Bullet points
       • Indentations
       • References
  5. Submit abstract

  NOTE: Abstracts submitted with incomplete author information or violating any of the submission guidelines will not be considered.

• Abstract Author Instructions

  • Up to three authors can be listed on each abstract.
  • One author must be identified as the primary contact person. As all correspondence will be conducted via email with the primary contact person, email address must be valid. The primary contact person is responsible for communication with other authors and for ensuring compliance with copyright law and deadlines.
  • You will be required to submit the following for each co-author:
    • First and last name
    • Street address, city, state/province, zip code
    • Email address
    • Phone number (primary contact only)
    • Biographical data:
      • Job title, description of present position
      • Institution, major, and graduation date for each degree
      • Brief (Character limits: minimum 250, maximum 500 including spaces) description of work experience and years of training specific to the educational activity.
    • Financial disclosure form (conflict of interest declaration)
  • If you have coauthors, but do not complete the co-author information, you will not be able to complete the abstract submission.
  • Presenters of accepted abstracts will be required to:
    • Submit a speaker release form
    • Register for the conference, and assume costs related to travel, accommodations, and registration for onsite presentation

• Conference Tracks

  RESEARCH TRACK ABSTRACTS Research track abstracts are limited to completed or nearly completed research. (Incomplete research will only be considered for poster presentations) Research can be original or replicated studies. Research must focus on one of the conference topic areas. Preference will be given to research incorporating nursing quality measurements and/or some aspect of NDNQI� participation. Abstracts must describe the research purpose, significance, methods, sample, results, conclusions, and implications for practice.	INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TRACK ABSTRACTS Innovative Strategies track abstracts focus on strategies implemented by nurses to address issues related to quality improvement, nursing administration, nurse staffing, nursing workforce or patient care. This track highlights creative approaches to quality. Innovative Strategies track abstracts must focus on one of the conference topic areas. Preference will be given to abstracts incorporating nursing quality measurements and/or some aspect of NDNQI� participation. Abstracts must include a description of the purpose (i.e., issue or problem addressed), the innovative strategy implemented, an evaluation of the effectiveness, and implications for practice.	PRACTICE TRACK ABSTRACTS Practice Strategies track abstracts focus on strategies implemented by nurses to improve nursing practice. This track highlights hands-on approaches and grassroots process improvements. Practice Strategies track abstracts must focus on one of the conference topic areas. Preference will be given to abstracts incorporating nursing quality measurements and/or some aspect of NDNQI� participation. Abstracts must include a description the purpose (i.e., issue or problem addressed), the innovative strategy implemented, an evaluation of the effectiveness, and implications for practice.
  Research Abstract Review Criteria Relevance to conference topic area selected Scientific merit and methods of completed or nearly completed research Current "cutting edge" knowledge Clarity of all Abstract Elements	Innovative Strategies Abstract Review Criteria Relevance to conference topic area selected Rigor of Evaluation Current "cutting edge" knowledge Creativity/Innovation Clarity of all Abstract Elements	Practice Strategies Abstract Review Criteria Relevance to conference topic area selected Rigor of Evaluation Current "cutting edge" knowledge Creativity/Innovation Relevant to conference goals Clarity of all Abstract Elements

• Abstract Format

  Elements of Innovative Strategies Abstracts Size Limit (characters) Section heading Description 300 Purpose Identify the issue addressed and goal of strategy 300 Significance Describe the importance of the issue addressed 1000 Strategy and implementation Describe the innovation, and the process of implementation 300 Evaluation Describe analytic findings and include actual evaluation data to demonstrate success 300 Implications for Practice Identify specific practice implications

  Elements of Practice Abstracts Size Limit (characters) Section heading Description 300 Purpose Identify the issue addressed and goal of strategy 300 Significance Describe the importance of the issue addressed 1000 Strategy and implementation Describe the innovation, and the process of implementation 300 Evaluation Describe analytic findings and include actual evaluation data to demonstrate success 300 Implications for Practice Identify specific practice implications

  Elements of Research Abstracts Size Limit (characters) Section heading Description 300 Purpose State the intent or goal of the study (i.e., what you wanted to learn) 500 Background/Significance Describe the knowledge base you are building on, and the importance of the study goal 700 Methods Identify the study design, sample, instruments, data collection procedures, and analytic approach used 700 Results Describe analytic findings and include actual evaluation data 300 Conclusions & Implications for Practice Describe the meaning of your findings and specific practice implications

  
  
  The online abstract submittal system will strictly enforce the abstract text format described above. Each element will be entered in a separate box in the order shown. Size limits are measured in characters, not words, and include spaces. Do not include section headings in the text you enter (The headings will be rendered automatically by the abstract system when displaying what you have entered).

• Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q: What is the submission deadline for the abstracts?
    A: The deadline for all abstracts is May 10, 2013. Submissions that are incomplete at this time will be withdrawn.
  • Q: How long can the abstracts be?
    A: Character counts are limited for each section of the abstract, and depend on what track you are submitting to. Click here for the specific character counts.
  • Q: When will I know if my abstract has been accepted?
    A: You will receive an e-mail in mid-July notifying you if your abstract has been accepted.
  • Q: I've already begun a submission, how do I return to it?
    A: When you began your submission, you should have received an email which contains a link directly back to your submission. Or, you can log into your submission on the right side of this page.
  • Q: I began a submission, but didn't receive any emails.
    A: Make sure that the email address entered on the title step is correct. Please also make sure that you've added ana@confex.com to your address book.
  • Q: I don't remember my login information.
    A: Click here and we will send you an email reminder.

For help in submitting an abstract online, email Tech Support.