Call for abstracts

Call for Abstracts Specifications

GENERAL INFORMATION

Submission Deadline
Abstracts must be received by 11:59 PM on October 31, 2025. No extensions will be granted. Acknowledgement of abstract submission will be sent via email.

Abstract Selection and Notification
All abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Committee. All presenters of accepted abstracts will be notified via email of the date and time of the presentation whether by oral or poster presentation. The Program Committee reserves the right to accept abstracts as a podium or poster presentation.

The notice of acceptance will be sent to the contact person for each podium or poster presentation. If the abstract has more than one author, the contact person is asked to share the relevant information with the other author(s). 

Poster Session
A poster session is a visual display of work completed or in-progress. Please note, that progress work only will be considered for poster presentations. All abstracts are eligible for poster presentation. Each accepted abstract will be allocated one poster space. The University will provide 4’ high X 8’ long poster boards for poster displays. Tables will not be available.

SELECTION CRITERIA
General
Abstracts of all papers should reflect or include:

• Internal consistency of purpose/aims and methods;
• Clarity of presentation;
• Implications and significance of the study/project/theory for the discipline and nursing practice.

Criteria
In addition, the Program Committee will use the following specific criteria when selecting abstracts for podium or poster sessions:

Research papers (including instrument development, other methodological studies and research-based best practices):

• Purposes/Aims
• Rationale/Conceptual Basis/Background
• Methods
• Results
• Implications

Theory Development/Concept Analysis papers

• Purposes/Aims
• Description of theory or definition of the concept to be discussed
• Internal consistency of the theory developed; concept analysis approach or process used
• Logic linking the theory or concept to nursing practice or research problem
• Conclusions including a statement about the utility of the theory or concept for nursing practice or research.

Project/Best Practices papers

• Purposes/Aims
• Rationale/Background
• Brief description of the undertaking/best practice, including the approach, methods, or process used
• Outcomes achieved/documented
• Conclusions, emphasizing implications for clinical or educational practices, and recommendations for research or future undertakings

A word about Literature Reviews as Research
On occasion, abstracts of literature reviews have been submitted. Abstract reviewers generally do not accept abstracts since they lack scientific merit. To assist abstract submitters, the Program Committee offers this additional information:

• Meta-analysis involves the calculation of a summary statistic (effect size) across empirical studies with the same design (RCTs, descriptive, or epi) and research questions.
• Literature Review does not involve the calculation of a summary statistic but is based on the reviewers’ conclusions/opinions about the quality, grade, or level of evidence across empirical studies. Abstracts for literature reviews must demonstrate a systematic review and include search methodology.
• Meta-Synthesis is used to describe the evaluation of research findings (meta-interpretation), research methods (meta-method), or theoretical frameworks (meta-theory) across qualitative studies.

The methods you used and the results need to be clearly presented, as with any research abstract consistent with the forms of literature review listed above.

ELIGIBILITY
The paper has not been presented or accepted for presentation at a regional or national meeting or accepted for publication by the abstract submission deadline.

Research, projects/best practices, and theory development/concept analysis undertakings must be completed by the abstract submission deadline to be eligible for podium presentation either as individual papers or as part of a symposium. Papers that include statements such as “results will be presented,” or “data will be analyzed,” or “outcomes will be described” will not be considered for podium presentations. However, these papers will automatically be considered for poster presentation.

In-progress research or projects are eligible for poster presentation. Completed research, projects, and theory development/concept analysis papers are also eligible for poster presentations.

Complete Abstract

• Complete Abstracts will be uploaded in Word (.doc) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) file format.
• Length/Format: The abstract shall not exceed one page, single-sided, and shall be formatted in portrait orientation (8 ½” X 11”).
• Margins: Use only the following margin settings: Top: 0.375”; Bottom: 0.5”; Left: 1.25”; and Right: 1.125”.
• Type Styles: Use letter quality, 12-point size type. The preferred typeface is Times New Roman, but others will be accepted.
• Titles: Abstract titles should be centered and in upper case letters and may not exceed 75 characters.
• Authors: If there is only one author, center the author’s name, degree(s), title, department, organization, city, and state under the title of the paper. If there are three or more authors, alternate names as shown below. Do not abbreviate and do not include zip code or telephone number. You may include your email address if you would like readers to be able to contact you about your paper. ALL individuals involved in the study must be listed.
• Funding: If the study was supported in full or in part by a grant, cite the grant number and granting organization at the end of the abstract.
• References:  APA 7th   Edition format is recommended for abstracts.

INFORMATION AFTER ABSTRACTS ARE SELECTED

Presentations
Podium: In general, each abstract in a podium session is allotted 25 minutes for presentation, with 5 minutes for audience questions. Presentations will occur in the order they appear in the program. Podium presenters are expected to attend the entire session in which their paper is featured.

Posters: Posters will be on display all day. Presenters are asked to be available for the hour(s) designated in the conference schedule for Poster Viewing.

Symposium Brochures and Registration Form:
Abstracts accepted for podium or poster presentation will be listed in the program schedule and handed out at the conference. The program schedule and registration form will be available on the UCCI Website in March 2026.

The onsite program will include the specific time for each abstract presentation and the name of the moderator for each session. Abstracts may list multiple study authors. The conference brochures will list a maximum of two authors with an asterisk to indicate that additional authors will be listed with the abstract in the conference proceedings.

Commitment
Each submitter or contact person will be notified about the Program Committee’s decision on acceptance of an abstract. We ask that presenters take their commitment to present very seriously, except in cases of true emergency.
 

Submit to Millicent Allen

Ruth Eleanor McLaughlin School of Nursing

REMschoolofnursing@ucci.edu.ky