After another fantastic AONL Annual Conference last week in Boston, the Prolink on-site squad is still buzzing from the whirlwind of engaging speakers, exciting events, and of course, great conversation with nurse leaders from around the country. From connections made at the Prolink booth to our unforgettable Thought LeaderSip happy hour, the conference left our team more driven than ever to push healthcare forward.
Two of our Workforce Solutions leaders, Laura Theis, Vice President of Sales, and Mary Hamilton, Vice President of Clinical Solutions, shared their big takeaways and the impact they felt Prolink made on the event.
What were you expecting at this year's AONL Conference?
Laura Theis: This year was one of the first times in a long time that the event was sold out. My expectations were exceeded and then some. Nurse leaders are craving innovation, and they're ready to push forward into the future together. They're also ready to lean on each other to do so. They all have challenges, and they know that they shouldn't face them alone. They were all there to learn from each other.
Mary Hamilton: I expected to see many new faces, as we have a large volume of emerging clinical leaders in healthcare across a variety of systems right now. I thought there would be a lot of nurses in a leadership role for the first time seeking our CEU opportunities.
What were some of the main themes you noticed in presentations and conversations?
LT: Healthcare policy was a big one, as was retention of nurses. Workforce shortages are a big focus right now, and we can help nurse leaders combat them.
MH: There was emphasis around the well-being of clinicicans, both in leadership and bedside roles. It's important that we don't let that well-being focus subside once a nurse is in a leadership position. In fact, they might need that assistance even more. We need to put programs in place that support those in the field.
Were there any speakers you felt particularly drawn to?
LT: The CNE at Connecticut Health presented a really interesting policy solution. Their program centers around patient-centered policies, boosting nurse ratios, and creating education programs that really lift up their clinicians.
MH: Two leaders from UK HealthCare at the University of Kentucky, Brandy Mathews and Lisa Williams, had a great presentation called "Fosting a Culture of Wellbeing Through Interdisciplinary Collaboration." They're focused on system-wide improvements to help different disciplines come together as a team. Physicians, nurses, and allied all need to collaborate effectively to foster a strong culture. Lisa and Brandy come from two different backgrounds, but they're doing great work together at UK.
What did Prolink bring to this year's event?
LT: We were right in the thick of it! I mean, you come down the escalators, and there we were, right at the front of the floor. We had so many CNE's come by and hang out with our group. We did a lot of pre-work to drive traffic through our booth and build relationships, and it really paid off. A lot of great conversations were had around some of our new capabilities regarding technology, flexible labor pools, and labor stream optimization. I'm excited to build on the connections we made.
MH: We had a broad impact this year. In addition to exhibiting, we offered technology-enabled workforce solutions, supported the AONL Foundation event, and held giveaways on the conference floor. We were also thrilled to be a sponsor this year. At Prolink, we put an emphasis on leading, inspiring, and supporting the healthcare workforce. We're excited to help clinicians evolve in their profession and take that same work back to their facilities.
How are you taking what you learned into the rest of 2025?
LT: It's helpful to put yourself in the shoes of nurse leaders and see what they're dealing with day-to-day. I learned a lot from everyone I spoke to, and I'll be keeping their stories and challenges in mind throughout the year.
MH: To seek to make a difference through technology and innovation, so healthcare systems can lead, inspire, and support their workforce.
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