Distinguished Nurse Scholars & Leaders Forum 2026

Location

Registration 

Description

Keynote Speaker & Distinguished Scholar

Designed For

Jointly Provided By 

Schedule

Wednesday, April 29 - Thursday, April 30, 2026

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Omaha In-Person: Harper Ballroom & Online: Zoom
Times listed are in Central Time (CT)

4:30 p.m.
Registration Opens (In-Person Only: Harper Ballroom)

5:00 p.m.
Poster Session #1 & Social Hour (In-Person Only: Harper Ballroom) 
Heavy Appetizers & Alcohol-Free Beverages/Mocktails Provided 

5:50 p.m.  
Welcome, Opening Remarks, Speaker Introduction, & Award Presentation (In-Person: Harper Ballroom & Online: Zoom)
Jessica Clark, DNP, RN, Dean of the College of Nursing 

6:00 p.m.
Distinguished Scholar Keynote #1:
What Successful Nurse Leaders Do: Building Resilient Teams & Healthy Cultures 
(In-Person: Harper Ballroom & Online: Zoom)
Nora Warshawsky, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, 
Nurse Scientist, Press Ganey Associates 

8:00 p.m.
Evening Adjournment 

Thursday, April 30, 2026

In-Person Phoenix Attendees:
Please click here for the Phoenix In-Person schedule in Mountain Time.

Omaha In-Person: Harper Ballroom/Auditorium & Online: Zoom
Times listed are in Central Time (CT)

8:00 a.m.  
Registration Opens  (In-Person Only: Harper Ballroom)

8:30 a.m.  
Poster Session #2 & Morning Coffee (In-Person Only: Harper Ballroom) 
Grab N’ Go Coffee & Snacks Provided 

9:40 a.m.  
Welcome (In-Person: Harper Auditorium & Online: Zoom)
Opening Remarks: Tim Plante, RN, MSN, MHA, CommonSpirit Health Central Region Chief Nursing Officer 
Opening Prayer: Kent A. Beausoleil, SJ, PhD, Vice President for Mission Integration, CHI Health 
Speaker Introduction: Mandy Kirkpatrick, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP, ANEF, Associate Dean for Research and Innovation 

10:00 a.m.
Distinguished Scholar Keynote #2:
From Evidence to Impact: Using Data to Advance Engagement, Innovation, & Care Delivery 
(In-Person: Harper Auditorium & Online: Zoom)
Nora Warshawsky, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, 
Nurse Scientist, Press Ganey Associates 

11:15 a.m.  
Break

11:30 a.m.
Morning Break-Out Presentations
(Schedule, In-Person Locations, and Online Links to Follow)

12:15 p.m.  
Lunch Provided for Registered Attendees 
(In-Person Only: Harper Ballroom) 

1:15 p.m. 
The Joan Norris Mentorship Award and Showcase Presentations 
(In-Person: Harper Auditorium & Online: Zoom)

1:45 p.m.
Break 

2:00 p.m.
Afternoon Break-Out Presentations
(Schedule, In-Person Locations, and Online Links to Follow)

3:15 p.m.  
Final Announcements/Raffle Awards

3:30 p.m.
Closing Keynote/Fireside Chat:
Taking the Leap: Career Pathways, Risk, & Resilience in Nursing Leadership 
(In-Person: Harper Auditorium & Online: Zoom)
Moderated by Holly Sak, EdD, MSN, RN, President of Iota Tau Chapter
Nora Warshawsky, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, 
Nurse Scientist, Press Ganey Associates 

4:30 p.m.
Adjournment of Event

Accreditation Statement

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Creighton University Health Sciences Continuing Education, CHI Health, and Iota Tau Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau Nursing Honor Society. Creighton University Health Sciences Continuing Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

How To Register

Step 1
Login or create a Lifelong Learning account by selecting "Enroll Now."

If you are unable to create a new account, it is likely you have already registered this email address. Click “Forgot Password” to reset.

Each registrant must create their own account using their own email.

Lifelong Learning accounts are not synced to any Creighton NetID system updates.

Step 2
Register for your program by clicking on the Cart and following the prompts to submit payment.

When done, you will receive a Registration Confirmation email.

You can also view your confirmed registrations in your Creighton Lifelong Learning account under Student Dashboard and Purchases & Enrollments.

Questions?