Annual research conference
The RCSI Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery hosts an annual international research and education conference every spring. The conference is one of the longest-running conferences of its kind in Europe.
The 46th Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference will take place in Dublin on 24 and 25 February 2027. A masterclass and the Annual Conference Dinner will be held on Wednesday, 24 February, with the conference taking place on Thursday, 25 February.
Aligned to the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences Strategic Plan 2023-2027, the theme of this year’s conference is ‘Advocating for equity: Nursing and midwifery leadership ensuring access to person-centred integrated care’.
Healthcare systems continue to face significant challenges in ensuring equitable access to safe, timely, and integrated person-centred care. Nurses and midwives are uniquely positioned to advocate for patients and families, address inequalities in healthcare delivery and influence systems that promote better health outcomes. As frontline professionals and trusted patient advocates, they play a vital role in shaping healthcare environments that prioritise dignity, inclusion and compassionate care.
The theme of this year's conference highlights the critical leadership role of nurses and midwives in advancing equity and strengthening access to integrated healthcare services. It recognises the importance of amplifying patient voices, addressing disparities experienced by vulnerable populations, and fostering healthcare systems that respond effectively to diverse community needs.
This theme also reflects the growing influence of nursing and midwifery professionals in driving innovation, shaping health policy and implementing evidence-based practices that enhance patient outcomes. By bringing together clinicians, educators, researchers and policymakers, the conference will provide an important platform for sharing research, innovative practice and collaborative solutions that support equitable and inclusive service delivery.
For the latest updates on the conference, including keynote speakers and the conference programme, follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky and check back on this page.
Call for abstracts
The call for abstracts is now open.
Abstracts can be submitted under the subthemes below. Abstracts will be accepted for oral presentation (12 minutes), lightning presentation (4 minutes) or poster presentation. Abstracts should be no more that 300 words.
The abstract submission portal will open soon – check back to this page for further details.
Delegate registration
Registration for the 46th Annual International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference will open soon – check back to this page for further details.
Conference pricelist
- Early bird conference registration (25 February): €100
- General conference registration (25 February): €150
- FNM Fellows/Members, SIGMA, student, retiree registration (25 February): €100
- Opening Ceremony and Masterclass (24 February): Free, but registration essential
- Annual Conference Dinner (24 February): €120
- Early bird conference registration ends on 9 December 2026.
- Registration for the Opening Ceremony, Masterclass and Annual Conference Dinner is limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Early booking is strongly advised.
Sub-themes
Advocacy is central to nursing and midwifery practice. This subtheme explores how nurses and midwives work with patients, families and communities to ensure care is respectful, responsive and centred on individual needs, values and preferences. It highlights strategies that empower patients to participate in decision-making, improve healthcare experiences and influence service design.
Abstracts may include:
- Co-designing healthcare services with patients and families
- Shared decision-making in clinical practice
- Patient experience and patient-reported outcome measures
- Advocacy for vulnerable or marginalised populations
- Supporting health literacy and informed consent
- Trauma-informed and culturally responsive care
- Digital tools that strengthen patient engagement
Equitable healthcare requires recognising and addressing barriers that prevent individuals and communities from accessing high-quality integrated care. This subtheme focuses on reducing health inequalities, promoting inclusion and integration, and improving outcomes for diverse populations through culturally safe, equitable and accessible services.
Abstracts may include:
- Reducing health inequalities in underserved communities
- Culturally competent and culturally safe care
- Healthcare access for migrants, refugees and ethnic minority groups
- Disability-inclusive healthcare services
- LGBTQ+ inclusive practice
- Addressing rural and remote healthcare disparities
- Equity-focused quality improvement projects
- Social determinants of health and nursing practice
Nurses and midwives play a vital role in shaping healthcare policy, leading service improvement and influencing systems that deliver better patient outcomes. This subtheme examines leadership at every level and showcases initiatives that demonstrate strategic leadership, advocacy and policy development.
Abstracts may include:
- Clinical leadership in practice
- Nursing and midwifery leadership during healthcare transformation
- Influencing local, national or international policy
- Leading quality and patient safety initiatives
- Leadership development programmes
- Specialist and advanced practice roles and their impact
- Workforce planning and service redesign
- Nursing and midwifery representation in decision-making
High-quality integrated care is underpinned by education, innovation, research and the application of best evidence. This subtheme celebrates innovations in teaching and learning, research that informs practice, innovation that improves service delivery, and implementation strategies that translate evidence into meaningful improvements in patient care.
Abstracts may include:
- Clinical research and implementation science
- Evidence-based practice initiatives
- Educational innovations and curriculum development
- AI, simulation and technology-enhanced learning and service provision
- Practice development and knowledge translation
- Research collaborations across clinical and academic settings
- Student-led research and quality improvement
- Evaluating the impact of interventions
A supported, resilient and engaged workforce is fundamental to delivering safe, compassionate and high-quality integrated care. This subtheme explores strategies that promote staff well-being, foster positive workplace cultures and build sustainable nursing and midwifery workforces capable of meeting future healthcare challenges.
Abstracts may include:
- Staff well-being and resilience initiatives
- Preventing burnout and moral distress
- Creating psychologically safe workplaces
- Compassionate leadership
- Meaningful recognition, workforce retention and recruitment
- Flexible working and workforce innovation
- Supporting newly qualified nurses and midwives
- Building inclusive and healthy workplace cultures
Sponsorship
For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact Áine Halligan.
Conference speakers
Keynote speakers will be announced over the coming weeks.