ONL PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Fall Quarterly Meeting

ONL's Quarterly Meetings offer nurse leaders at all levels an opportunity for rich professional learning while connecting with fellow nurse leaders for collaboration and community.

FALL 2026 QUARTERLY MEETING: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 8:30AM - 12:00PM VIA ZOOM

Program Agenda

• 8:30:   ONL Business Meeting
• 9:45:   Break
• 10:00: Preparing the Nursing Workforce We Need
• 12:00: Closing Remarks

Who Should Participate

• Nurse leaders at all levels from the bedside to the C-suite as well as partners from academia and research are encouraged to participate! This is also a great team learning opportunity.

Program Details

• Registration fee: $99 per person
• How to register: Individuals may register online at www.oonl.org/fall-quarterly-meeting-2026. To register a group, please download our group registration form.
• Contact hours: Attendees will be eligible for 2.0 Contact Hours upon completing a program evaluation.

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ONL Business Meeting

The ONL Business Meeting offers a chance to learn more about the core work of ONL to advance nursing leadership and support nurse leaders. Members of the ONL Board and staff provide updates and insights about key ONL priorities, project highlights, upcoming programs, member benefits, opportunities to get involved, policy and legislative activity in our region, and recent developments and key topics impacting nursing practice and nursing leadership. The Business Meeting is also a forum in which ONL recognizes and celebrates our members' recent milestones and achievements. All are encouraged to attend!

PREPARING THE NURSING WORKFORCE WE NEED

People Forward, Practice Ready: Preparing Practice-Ready Nurses at Scale

Nurses are entering the workforce not ready to practice, and that readiness gap continues to grow with complex technology and high patient acuity. Discover how Advocate Health, the nation's third-largest nonprofit integrated health system, is launching an innovative academic-practice partnership with Chamberlain University in which the final semester of the BSN program doubles as orientation. Designed to better attract, prepare, and retain new-graduate nurses, the People Forward, Practice Ready model integrates education, clinical immersion, and workforce strategy to accelerate practice readiness, reimagine the transition to professional practice, and strengthen the nursing workforce pipeline.

	Betty Jo Rocchio, DNP, RN, CRNA, CENP, EBP-C Executive Vice President & Chief Nurse Executive Advocate Health
	Stephanie Zidek, PhD, RN, AGCNS-BC, NEA-BC, NPD-BC Vice President, Nursing Education & Professional Development Advocate Health

Connecting Realities of Practice to the Classroom

Preparing practice-ready nurses requires innovation on both sides of the academic-practice partnership. Learn how Providence College, which opened its school of nursing with a distinct focus on preparing nurses for the realities of clinical practice, is continuing to evolve its approach to nursing education to meet the changing needs of healthcare.

	Amy Delaney, PhD, RN, CPNP Assistant Professor of Nursing, Providence College
	Nancy Meedzan, DNP, RN, CNE, NEA-BC Associate Dean of Nursing, Professor of Nursing, Providence College

Orientation and Beyond: Building Confidence, Competence, and Connection

Preparing practice-ready nurses is a shared responsibility—and health systems play a critical role. The University of Vermont Medical Center is strengthening the transition to practice through Nurse Residency Programs, mentorship, and professional development, all with the goal of helping to foster confidence, competence, and long-term success.

Betsy Hassan, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, FAAN, FNAP Director, Nursing Education and Professional Development, University of Vermont Medical Center President-Elect, ONL

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