The 43rd NOVA Annual Meeting opened with a pre-conference session by Linda Benton from Johnson & Johnson "Accelerating Nurse-Led Innovation to Transform Healthcare" and was followed by an opening reception in the Exhibit Hall.

NOVA's first day included the Desert Pines High School JROTC Color Guard, national anthem, and opening remarks by Catherine Giasson DNP MHA RN NE-BC CPHQ NOVA President-elect, and NOVA President TJ Wilcox-Olson MHS RN CPHQ. The opening presentation was Essentials for Success in Self-Assessment by Heather Arredondo DHA RN VHA-CM from the Office of Nursing Services. This was followed by Aromatherapy/Essential Oils: The History, the Design, the Application, and the Benefits with Tara Wright RN and Heidi Kaufman MSN RN.

The Nursing Community Coalition panel presented “Working Together as Advocates for the Nursing Profession” with moderator Teresa Morris BS, NOVA Director of Advocacy and Government Relations. Panel members included Matthew Thackson AANA, Clare Chmiel HPNA, Christian Campbell AVANA, and Samuel Hewitt ANA.  Shereef Elnahal MD MBA, the Under Secretary for Health gave the keynote address, “Leading the Nation’s Health Care.”  VISN 1 Director Ryan Lilly MPA presented Building a Better System. The first day finished with an ONS Town Hall with Karen Ott DNP RN and Tracey Weistreich PhD RN NEA-BC NPD-BC VHA-CM. 

The second day began with a Hill Panel moderated by Teresa Morris including Hunter Thompson, minority staff member Senate Veterans Affairs Committee SVAC (R); Alexis MacDonald, minority staff member House Veterans Affairs Committee; Kendyl Willox, majority staff member House Veterans Affairs Committee; Abby Roubal, majority staff member Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, and Renee Campos, Military Officers Association of America. Central Western Massachusetts Medical Center Director Duane Gill presented "Improving Organizational Culture Through Transformational Leadership.” His presentation was followed by the Innovation Award Winner Bradley Benick MA MSN RN VHA-CM LSSBB, “Improving Veterans’ Alcohol and Tobacco Cessation in an Inpatient Setting:  A Lean Six Sigma Approach.’  Jessica Ash BSN RN presented "Staffing & Recruitment."

Kimberlee Bayless DNP FNP-BC APRB presented "Pain Management Acute to Chronic Pain." Mona Pearl Treyball PhD RN CNS CCRN-K FAAN presented "Taking Care of Our Veterans: Next Steps in Our Profession to Establish this Specialty Area of Practice."  NOVA Nurse Emeritus member Margaret Kruckemeyer encouraged participants to bid on items for the Silent Auction, which benefits the Mary Raymer Scholarship Fund.  NOVA Board Member Miriam Rogers Holy, and NOVA Nurse Emeritus Members Beverly Ross and Thelma Roach-Serry helped to display a blanket from the auction. 

At the NOVA Awards Luncheon, the President's Award was presented to Vermara Williams MSN-ED RN PCCN for outstanding significant contributions to advance the mission of NOVA. The APRN Excellence Award was presented to Terry Guyton-Smith DNP APRN FNP-C for outstanding contributions to the nursing care of veterans through excellence in clinical practice. The LPN Excellence Award was presented to Rhodora Cassady LPN for outstanding contributions to the nursing care of veterans through excellence in clinical practice.  The RN Excellence Award was presented to Marie Robinson-McLaughlin MNA MSN BSN RN for outstanding contributions to the nursing care of veterans through excellence in clinical practice. The Veterans Service Award was presented to the Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists for outstanding dedication to improving the healthcare of veterans. Accepting the award was Christian Campbell from AVANA.

The Distinguished Chapter Award was presented to Chapter 212 Southeast Louisiana VA HCS for outstanding chapter engagement and demonstrated passion for NOVA. The 2023 NOVA Innovation Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson First Place was presented to Bradley Benick MA MSN RN VHA-CM LSSBB and colleagues Janelle Bowden, Shereen Leftridge, and Heather Ertle from VA Northeast Ohio HCS.  The 2023 NOVA Innovation Award sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Second Place was presented to Judy Santelices BSN RN and colleague Irish Ann Florendo MSN BSN RN from the Washington DC VAMC.  The 2023 Annual Meeting Scholarship recipients were Dinah Lewis MSN RN, Rachel Cozzone MSN RN AMB-BC, Christy Rios BSN RN, and Orla Saunders BSN RN. There were also exhibit hall prize winners.  Immediate Past President Kelly Skinner DNP APRN NP-C GNP-BC CRRN WCC CFCN CPHQ who is leaving the Board was honored, and the gavel was passed from NOVA President TJ Wilcox-Olson MHS RN CPHQ to NOVA President-Elect Catherine Giasson DNP MHA RN NE-BC CPHQ.

The Poster Session featured NOVA nurses from across the country.  Thanks to NOVA's Moderators for introducing speakers at the 43rd Annual Meeting in Las Vegas!  NOVA's 43rd Annual Meeting featured great opportunities for networking and connecting with NOVA nurses from across the country. Another benefit of attending the NOVA Annual Meeting was the opportunity to hear from speakers from NOVA's sponsors. Helen Shih NP sponsored by Merck presented "Discussing Anticancer Therapy Along with Patient Monitoring and Management of Adverse Events. Other sessions were sponsored by Janssen Oncology, AstraZeneca, Western Governors University Recon-Supply, Genentech, and Sumitomo Pharma.