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APNA 39th Annual Conference

Empowered to Innovate and Collaborate: PMH Nurses Shaping Care Excellence

October 15-18, 2025
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, Louisiana

“You can just feel the energy among colleagues who share experiences unique to PMH nursing.”
-2024 Annual Conference Attendee

Registration Opens Soon!

Start Choosing Your Sessions

Hear From Speakers that Inspire

Hundreds of your colleagues will share success-stories and evidence-based discoveries at the conference. Meet 2 of your featured speakers:

APNA President’s Address

Empowered to Innovate and Collaborate: PMH Nurses Shaping Care Excellence
Thursday, October 16, 9:00am Central

Joyce Shea, DNSc, APRN, PMHCNS-BC, FAAN

Dr. Joyce Shea is a board-certified advanced practice psychiatric-mental health nurse (APRN) specializing in integrated behavioral and physical health care. She is Professor Emerita at Fairfield University’s Egan School of Nursing and Health Studies. Having previously served for 5 years as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the American Psychiatric Nurses Association, she stepped into the role of President for this premier psychiatric nursing organization as of October 2024. Dr. Shea also recently co-chaired the national Task Force for revising the Scope and Standards of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice and has received over $6 million in HRSA funding, with the most recent grant focusing on telehealth care and inter-professional practice. She has been inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.


Keynote Presentation

The Power of One 
Friday, October 11, 9:00am Central
Allison Massari

As an advocate for patients and healthcare professionals, Massari has an intimate understanding of the demands and challenges of the healthcare profession, and compelling authority to address the current needs of the healthcare industry. She experienced firsthand the critical value of receiving personalized health care after surviving two life-threatening car accidents, one where she suffered second and third degree burns on over 50 percent of her body.

Raised by parents who were both clinicians – her father an otolaryngologist whose primary focus was on oncologic cases, and her mother a nurse who worked in the emergency department, operating room, and newborn nursery across her career – Allison grew up immersed in the healthcare field and was captivated by her parent’s compassionate work.

As she shares her riveting and courageous journey, Massari shines light on how all healthcare professionals provide immense value. The profound lessons she learned inspire confidence and self-leadership, while elevating hearts and building resiliency within the challenges of the high-pressure healthcare work environment.

The Premiere Event for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing

You’ll Be Able To:

  • Set a schedule that best suits your needs and preferences: Attend sessions live or via virtual livestream, as well as access them on-demand 2-3 months post-conference.
  • Explore on-demand sessions and materials in the APNA eLearning Center for up to a year.
  • Earn up to 115+ contact hours for certification or licensure renewal while getting crucial updates from trusted colleagues.

Who Should Attend?

This conference is the premiere event for psychiatric-mental health nursing, but all professionals passionate about providing care to the psychiatric-mental health population are welcome! APNA members receive exclusive savings on their registrations.

APNA 2024 - Thursday-143

“This was my first conference, and it has been on my to do list for 20 years. I will definitely be back. It was so inspiring and refreshing. I met so many wonderful nurses.

– 2024 Conference Attendee

“I learned so much! The speakers all brought such a high level of enthusiasm for their topics. I will be sharing so much of what I learned with my colleagues!”

– 2024 Annual Conference attendee

 

APNA Annual Conference Program

Choose from hundreds of presentations covering diverse PMH nursing topics like:

Artificial Intelligence
Addictions/Substance Use

APRN Practice
Child & Adolescent
Community Care
Complementary & Alternative Therapies
Depression

Ethics
Graduate Education

Integrated Care
Inpatient

Leadership
Legal
Measurements/Outcomes
Military
Outpatient
Pharmacology
Private Practice
Psychedelics
Psychotherapy
RN Practice
Recovery Tools
Research
Safety
Special Populations
Trauma
Undergraduate Education
Violence Prevention
Women’s Health
APNA 00647

Earn up to 115+ ANCC NCPD Contact Hours

  • Up to 24.75* during the conference
  • 90+ with session recordings available 2-3 months after the conference

*Includes pre-conference add-on sessions (additional fee) and industry-sponsored symposium.

More About Contact Hours

Same Contact Hours, Two Different Experiences

New Orleans Experience

Available for: Regular Conference & One Day Registrations
Optional Add-On: Wednesday Sessions
Contact Hours: Up to 24.75+ live, 90+ on demand (includes Wednesday add-on)

  • Take your pick of sessions presented in in each time block at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
  • Engage with colleagues and speakers during sessions, breaks, and special events.
  • Browse and evaluate poster presentations in the poster hall; meet the poster presenters.
  • Enjoy meal sessions with industry-sponsored Product Theaters.
  • Two-3 months after the conference, access podcast recordings of the sessions presented on the days you are registered. Earn up to 90+ more contact hours for these sessions any time until November 7, 2025.

Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored product theaters and symposia only available during conference, not on demand.

Full Conference Program

Virtual Livestream Experience

Available for: Regular Conference & One Day Registrations
Optional Add-On: Wednesday Sessions
Contact Hours: Up to 24.75+ live, 90+ on demand (includes Wednesday add-on)

  • In addition to the President’s Address, Keynote Presentation, and Symposium, choose from two livestream session options available during each time block.
  • Use the live chat feature to ask questions and connect with fellow virtual attendees.
  • Browse and evaluate poster presentations in the online poster gallery Thursday-Saturday.
  • Two-3 months after the conference, access podcast recordings of the sessions presented on the days for which you registered. Earn up to 90+ more contact hours for these sessions through November 7, 2025.

Note: Poster presentations and industry-sponsored product theaters and symposia only available during conference, not on demand.

VIRTUAL LIVESTREAM PROGRAM

Open Your Mind, Get Refreshed, Advance Care

APNA 2024 - Wednesday-121

“I appreciated the variety of sessions offered and many themes that ran through sessions consistently and with kindness and compassion.”

– 2024 Attendee

APNA 2024 Thursday 663

“I love this conference more than any others I go to. To be surrounded by psych nurses is mighty safe feeling.

– 2024 Attendee

APNA 2024 Thursday 712

“Great experience. Can’t wait to see you all in Louisiana next year!”

 – 2024 Attendee