Upcoming Programs

Exceptional professional learning builds an engaged and resilient nursing workforce and helps nurse leaders at stages of their leadership journey succeed in their roles.

Invest in yourself, your team, and your organization by participating in our interactive professional development programs led by esteemed faculty and distinguished thought leaders.

Click here to download our Winter/Spring 2026 Programs At-a-Glance

Staying Power: Building a Culture of Retention in the New World of Work
Tuesday, May 19th, 2026, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM ET via Zoom
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

More than half of all nurses now leave their organizations within their first two years of employment. Generation Z nurses have different ideas about work and will quickly leave organizations if their needs are not met. Turnover is costly, disruptive to teams, and impacts the quality and safety of nursing care. To effectively retain nurses in this new world of work, leaders need to build a culture with staying power. During this workshop, Dr. Rose Sherman will share actionable, forward-thinking recruitment and retention strategies to promote well-being, engagement, career advancement, and a sense of belonging among the current and next-generation nursing workforce.

2026 ONL Annual Meeting
Thursday and Friday, June 4th and 5th, 2026 at the Newport Marriott Hotel and Spa
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

Join us for learning, community, and inspiration at ONL's 2026 Annual Meeting: a dynamic, interactive conference that will take a deep dive into some of the profession’s most complex opportunities and share ideas and strategies to help nurse leaders meet this moment and lead for tomorrow. Our 2026 Annual Meeting will offer an unparalleled opportunity for nurse leaders at all levels to connect, collaborate, and learn. Nurse leaders in all roles across both academic and practice settings including clinical leaders, nurse managers and directors, nursing executives, and others are invited to attend to gain valuable perspectives and actionable strategies for leading nursing teams.

Applying for AONL Fellow Designation
Tuesday, June 16th, 2026, 12:00 PM-1:00 PM ET via Zoom

Are you considering applying for Fellow Designation in the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL)? Attend this ONL Member Roundtable learn more about the process and get assistance with your application from experienced ONL colleagues who have firsthand knowledge of the application process and tremendous insight to share. ONL Member Roundtables are no-cost professional learning opportunities open exclusively to ONL Members. Members, please login to your MyONL account to register for this session.

The Inverted Pyramid: Leading Teams of Novice Nurses
Wednesday, June 17th, 2026, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM ET via Zoom
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

Nursing faces a structural crisis in many healthcare settings as patient acuity has risen, and staff experience has declined. Historically, a solid base of veteran "expert" nurses supported a small group of novices. Today, the model has flipped into an inverted pyramid. Most frontline nurses in acute care environments are novice clinicians, supported by a shrinking minority of experienced clinicians.

Today's "inverted pyramid" nursing workforce—in which there are more novice nurses than experienced clinicians—means nurse leaders need different strategies to ensure safety and quality care on their units. This interactive workshop provides leaders with concrete strategies to manage patient care and coach clinically inexperienced teams. Participants will learn how to rebuild systems of safety to ensure quality care in an environment where experienced nurses are rare and at a premium.

Leading Change: Why Leaders Struggle, and How to Flip the Script
Wednesday, June 24th, 2026, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM ET via Zoom
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

Leading change isn’t for the faint of heart—and in today’s healthcare landscape, those who hesitate risk getting left behind. Many leaders find themselves caught between big ideas and real-world barriers, unsure how to move forward.

Nurse leaders are responsible for maintaining ongoing operations and care while also translating organizational strategy into action—that's hard. This energizing, interactive session will explore why change feels so hard and share practical, actionable strategies for how nurse leaders can turn hesitation into momentum—and ideas into impact.

Fall '26 Leadership Lunch Series
Fridays: Sept. 18th, Oct. 16th, Nov. 20th, and Dec. 18th, 2026, 12:00-1:30 PM ET via Zoom
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

ONL's Leadership Lunch Series is a four-part, interactive, live educational program in which nurse leaders and nursing teams learn and gain inspiration from our remarkable faculty lineup who share diverse perspectives ranging from big-picture thinking to tactical, actionable strategies. During each session, participants spend 90 minutes hearing from a different nationally-recognized distinguished thought leader via Zoom, with protected time to enjoy their lunch!

This program offers something for everyone at all levels of leadership and is a great way for organizations to invest in their nursing teams. When viewed as a team, this program serves as a jumping off point for internal discussion of the ideas shared and collaboration on application and strategies for implementation.

The Nuts and Bolts of Nursing Leadership
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM ET via Zoom For Nurse Managers & Directors
Wednesday, September 30th, 2026, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM ET via Zoom For Charge Nurses, Emerging Leaders, Team Leads & Clinical Leaders

This highly-rated program offers fantastic foundational leadership training for nurse leaders newly in a leadership role.

Nurses are often promoted into leadership roles with little or no training in the leadership, management, and communication skills needed to succeed. This one-day, interactive program is designed to equip new leaders with the key skills and strategies needed to be successful: transitioning into a leadership role; communication and collaboration, including power and authority; resource management; and managing staff performance.

This program is offered on two different dates, with each customized to bring focus and examples that are designed for the specified target audience.

Essential Leadership Skills for Charge Nurses
Tuesday, October 27th, 2026, 9:00 AM-3:00 PM ET via Zoom
For current and aspiring charge nurses

Led by Dr. Crystal Lawson, this interactive virtual program equips and empowers new and aspiring charge nurses with the essential leadership skills needed to be effective and successful across key aspects of the charge nurse role, including promoting quality outcomes, cultivating a healthy work environment, and fostering teamwork. Participants gain practical tools and strategies that can be put to use immediately on their unit.

Succeeding in Difficult Conversations: Strategies for Nurse Leaders
Wednesday, November 18th, 2026, 9:30 AM-12:00 PM ET via Zoom
For nurse leaders at every stage of their leadership journey

Difficult conversations are part of every leadership role, and feeling confident in challenging conversations takes practice. In this interactive workshop, Dr. Crystal Lawson will offer practical tools to empower nurse leaders to succeed in executing difficult conversations, reduce anxiety about giving feedback, and gain confidence in managing performance while also demonstrating respect.