Poster Abstract Submission Guidelines

General Poster Abstract Information

• AACN members and nonmembers may submit a poster abstract using the online system.
  • New nonmember customers will be prompted to register prior to beginning the online Poster Abstract Submission process.
• The process is fully automated and easy to follow. Each poster abstract is submitted individually. 
• Accepted Research poster abstracts will be published on-line in the American Journal of Critical Care. Evidence-Based Solution poster abstracts will be published on-line in Critical Care Nurse.
• Post-NTI accepted Research and Evidence-Based Solutions Posters will be posted in the Virginia Henderson International Library online searchable database.

General Poster Abstract Criteria

• All poster abstracts must convey relevance to AACN’s mission, vision and values.  
• Poster abstract content must support AACN’s priority agenda topics such as research, evidence-based practice, leadership, ethics, public policy and advanced practice. 
• All Research, Evidence-Based Solutions and Chapter Best Practice poster abstracts must have been completed with documented outcomes prior to online submission.
  • No exceptions.
• Poster abstracts will not be edited for content.
  • Be sure to double-check your poster abstract for typographical or grammatical errors before submitting.
• Please avoid the use of all capital letters when completing the submission form (turn off the Caps Lock feature).

Research Poster Abstract Criteria

Research poster abstracts may focus on any aspect of the continuum of critical care, including but not limited to patient care, nursing practice, nursing management or nursing education. The research may be original or replicated studies.

Prepare Research poster abstracts to include the following key elements:

1. Purpose — What was the intent or goal of the study? What did you want to learn? (Limit 500 characters, including spaces)
2. Background/Significance — What was the problem and why was it important? What knowledge are you building on? (Limit 500 characters, including spaces)
3. Method — What was the design? What was the sample? What instruments were used? How was data collected and analyzed? (Limit 700 characters, including spaces)
4. Results — What were the findings? (Limit 700 characters, including spaces)
5. Conclusions — What do the findings mean? (Limit 500 characters, including spaces)

Evidence-Based Solutions Poster Abstract Criteria

An Evidence-Based Solutions poster abstract may be the result of an organizational process that, when applied across the continuum of critical care, achieves a desired outcome or meets or exceeds a benchmark for a standard of nursing practice. An Evidence-Based Solutions abstract in acute and critical care nursing can be submitted on a wide variety of processes, strategies and practice innovations.

Prepare Evidence-Based Solutions poster abstracts to include the following key elements:

1. Purpose — What was the intent/goal of the project? What problem was addressed by the evidence-based solution? (Limit 500 characters, including spaces)
2. Description — What was the evidence-based solution? How was it developed and implemented? Cite the research for the evidence implying how you made a clinical decision based on the best available current research or literature, your own clinical expertise or patient's needs to change a process to improve nursing practice.  Do not submit an actual reference/bibliography list.  (Limit 1,250 characters, including spaces)
3. Evaluation and Outcomes —What were the outcomes of the project? How was success measured? (Limit 700 characters, including spaces)

AACN Chapter Best Practice Poster Abstract Criteria

An AACN Chapter Best Practice abstract may be submitted on a wide variety of strategies and practice innovations used by nurses to solve a difficult, unique or interesting problem(s) related to the management of the AACN chapter (including but not limited to chapter operations) and the key initiatives of nursing education, certification, healthy work environments and the Beacon Award.

The abstract is a short description of your work and should contain all the elements necessary to define your goals and results to the reader. Note the character field limits for each section below.

Make the title brief and clearly indicate the nature of the study/procedure; title is limited to 120 characters, including spaces.

Prepare AACN Chapter Best Practice poster abstracts to include the following key elements:

1. Purpose — What was the intent/goal of project? What problem was addressed by the Chapter best practice solution? (Limit 500 characters, including spaces)
2. Description — What was the Chapter best practice? How was it developed & implemented? (Limit 1,250 characters, including spaces)
3. Evaluation and Outcomes — What were the outcomes of the project? How was success measured? (Limit 700 characters, including spaces)

Web-Based Poster Abstract Submission Instructions

• The online submission form accepts only basic text.
  • Please avoid entering special characters, symbols, charts or graphics within the abstract text.
• When entering your poster abstract information, note the text character limits indicated for each section.
  • If your poster abstract is financially funded, please assure you enter this information on the application form where indicated.
• Notification of acceptance or regrets will be delivered via email to the Primary Author of each poster abstract by the first week of January of the NTI year.
  • The decision of reviewers is final.

Poster Abstract Author Requirements and Required Documents

• Poster abstracts are limited to a maximum of 10 authors, including the primary author.
• Primary Authors may not transfer their status to a Co-author once the poster abstract has been submitted.
• AACN utilizes an online Speaker Materials Database where all authors are required to submit their CV and financial disclosure during the Call for Abstract submission process.
• All Primary and Co-authors for all Poster abstracts must enter and submit the required documentation via the Step II process by the submission deadline.
  • No additional authors can be added after this date.
• All Primary and Co-authors are required to sign Release and Disclosure documents.
• Release and Disclosure documents certify: the material is original; does not copy or otherwise infringe on the copyright or other proprietary rights of another party; that the author has participated sufficiently in developing the work in order to take public responsibility for the content (in the case of multiple poster author/presenters, all should certify this aspect); that the abstract has not been previously published; and permission for AACN to publish the abstract in AACN conference materials and/or journal and/or in any electronic format, via internet or intranet and provide to third-party research libraries such as The Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library for online access. 
• Please assure that all email addresses for both Primary and Co-authors are accurate. This is the sole means of communication from AACN regarding your poster abstract(s).
• Should any email addresses change prior to NTI, please provide the updates to posters@aacn.org.
• If AACN does not receive all requested information by published deadlines, the poster may be withdrawn from NTI.

NTI Registration Fee Discount

• The Primary Author of an accepted poster abstract will receive a $75 discount on NTI registration fees for the main conference only.
• Primary Authors of multiple accepted poster abstracts will be eligible for only one $75 reduction in NTI registration fees for the main conference.
  • This cannot be combined with Chapter discounts. 
• If the Primary Author is presenting an Educational Session (Sunrise, ExpoEd, Concurrent, Mastery, API) and a poster presentation, the speaker honoraria awarded will replace the $75 discount.
  • In this case, the $75 discount may be transferred to one Co-author.
• Expenses associated with the preparation, delivery and presentation of the poster abstract is the responsibility of the Primary Author.
  • If accepted, the Primary Author is required to pay all fees associated with the NTI conference, including but not limited to: travel, housing accommodations and registration.

Research Poster Award Winners

• Four (4) research poster abstracts will be selected to receive the Research Abstract Award.
  • This award recognizes individuals whose abstract reflects outstanding original research, replication research or research utilization.
• Each of the award recipients will present his/her findings at one of the Research Oral Poster Presentation sessions in a conference room.
• Each oral presentation is limited to 30 minutes, including a 10-minute Q&A section.
• The presentation should include a brief overview of the research project with an emphasis on its clinical implications.
  • Minimal focus on method and data analysis is recommended.
• Presenters are encouraged to use a slide presentation program to add visual interest and enhance data sharing.
• Research poster award recipients will receive an honorarium of $1,000 for NTI expenses, including registration, hotel and travel.