NAON News

Dear NAON Members,

Following our 46th NAON Congress, I am filled with pride and gratitude as I reflect on what we accomplished together this past year and continuing with our theme of “Reconnecting for Excellence: Advancing Orthopaedic Nursing Together.” The theme is truly coming to fruition.

We welcomed 500 attendees this year—and believe it or not, 45% were first-time Congress participants. That level of new engagement speaks volumes about the strength, relevance, and growing reach of NAON. It also reminds us how important our role is in fostering belonging and professional growth across the orthopaedic nursing community.

I’m also encouraged by the early feedback. Just over half of all attendees have already completed their Congress evaluations, and the results thus far are outstanding. Approximately 94% rated the experience as Excellent or Good, and 97% shared that Congress met or exceeded their expectations. These responses affirm the dedication of our planners, speakers, volunteers, and staff—and they reinforce that we are delivering meaningful value to our members.

As we move forward this year, NAON remains grounded in our five areas of focus:

• Courage to face a changing healthcare landscape.
• Discipline to protect the financial stability we’ve regained
• Connection to one another and to our shared mission
• Excellence not perfection, but excellence in practice, education, and leadership
• Hope for the future of orthopaedic nursing and the patients we serve

Thank you for showing up, engaging, and recommitting to our collective purpose. Together, we are reconnecting, advancing, and strengthening orthopaedic nursing—today and for the future.

With gratitude,

Deb Valentine RN, MSN, CCM, ONC, FNAON
47^th President, NAON