• Nurse-Led. The work or project must be nurse-led. This means the project leader must be a nurse or nursing staff. This includes: unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse educators, nursing program coordinators, etc.   

• Employed by the Johns Hopkins Health System. All nurses and nursing staff employed by the Johns Hopkins Health System are eligible to submit an abstract.  This includes: All Children's Hospital, Bayview Medical Center, Care at Home, Howard County Medical Center, Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins International, Sibley Memorial Hospital, and Suburban Hospital. 

• Completed Project. Unfinished projects may be considered. The project must be complete by the presentation submission deadline, Monday, February 16, 2026. In addition, at the time of abstract submission, at least data collection must be completed for QI and research projects. For EBP projects, at least the evidence appraisal and summary must be completed. A detailed plan of how the project will be completed must also be included in the abstract.

• Original Abstract. Abstracts that have been submitted to past SHINE Conferences are not eligible for submission. However, abstracts that have been submitted to other conferences are eligible for submission. These abstracts will go through the same review process as any other abstract. 

At the time of submission, a primary point of contact must be designated. This person is responsible for the following:

• communicating with the conference planners;
• ensuring all abstract submission guidelines have been met;
• submitting the abstract;
• and notifying all authors of acceptance or rejection.

Identification

At the time of submission, all authors must be identified.  Additional authors cannot be added after the submission deadline.

The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE; 2023) recommends that all authors meet the following four (4) criteria:

> Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND 
Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND 
Final approval of the version to be published; AND
Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.  

If a contributor does not meet all four of the above criteria, they may be acknowledged for their contribution, but should not be listed as an author. To learn more about the roles and responsibilities of authors, view the ICMJE recommendations here.

Sequence  

At the time of submission, the sequence of authors must be determined. The sequence of authors cannot be changed after the submission deadline. Authors should be listed by overall contribution to the work. The person who made the most significant contribution should be listed first. Additional authors should be listed in descending order of contribution. It is common practice to list a senior member of the team last.

The SHINE Conference features three tracks: clinical practice, leadership, and professional development and education. The tracks serve as a venue for discussing and exchanging information about topic areas of shared interest. At the time of submission, a conference track must be identified.

Details about the different tracks can be found below.

• Clinical Practice: This track will explore what nurses are doing to improve the way care is delivered to patients. Your project may fit in this track if it focuses on patient outcomes, patient and caregiver experience, patient safety, etc.  
• Leadership: This track will explore what nurse leaders are doing to impact our organizational culture. Your project may fit in this track if it focuses on leadership skills, staff engagement, staff well-being, etc. 
• Professional Development and Education: This track will explore what nurses are doing to help staff gain competence and grow professionally. Your project may fit in this track if it focuses on preceptor training, “Just-In-Time" education, new-hire orientation, etc.  

If you are unsure of the track that best fits your project, select “Unsure” in the application. If you select this option, conference planners will select a track for your project.

You can present your project as a poster presentation or a podium presentation. Details about the different presentation formats can be found below.

• Poster Presentations: If your project is selected for a poster presentation, a physical version of your poster will be displayed in-person at your affiliate and an electronic version will be displayed in the Virtual Poster Hall. You will also have the option to record a brief audio overview of your project to be shared along with your electronic poster in the Virtual Poster Hall. This is strongly encouraged.  Typically, 45 to 60 projects are selected each year for a poster presentation.  
• Podium Presentations: If your project is selected for a podium presentation, you will present your project in-person to a live audience. Your presentation will also be recorded and made available in the On-Demand Library for on-demand viewing after the event. You will be allotted 20 minutes for your presentation and 10 minutes for audience questions. Typically, 10 to 15 projects are selected each year for a podium presentation.

If you would like your project to be considered for either a poster or a podium presentation, select “No Preference” in the application. If you select this option, conference planners will select the presentation format for you.

Use one of the Word templates below to draft your abstract. It follows the required format and will help you check character count, grammar, and clarity as you write. Follow APA format for in-text citations and references.

When your abstract is ready, copy and paste each section into the matching fields in the online submission form. Do not upload this Word document. It is only meant to help you prepare your abstract.

Please review your abstract carefully before submitting it online.  Incomplete abstracts or abstracts that do not adhere to the templates cannot be processed and will not be reviewed.

• EBP Abstract Template
• QI Abstract Template
• Research Abstract Template

All employees of the Johns Hopkins Health System must receive approval to present or publish scholarly work. This ensures all publications and presentations are high-quality, meaningful, and representative of the institution. Nurses and nursing staff must obtain approval from their Director of Nursing or their designee. 

For the SHINE Conference, you may receive approval to present from your nurse manager. A letter of approval can either be uploaded to your online application or emailed to the Johns Hopkins Center for Nursing Inquiry at [email protected]. If you choose to email your letter of approval, please include your full project title as the subject line. A letter of approval must be received within two (2) weeks of the application deadline, no later than 10/05/2025 at 11:59 PM.

The submission guidelines on this page are very detailed - it is a good place to start! Many of your questions will be addressed in that section. Please review the guidelines before you begin the SHINE abstract process. 

The Center for Nursing Inquiry's Workshop Abstract Adventures: Crafting a Clear Message will walk you through the process of writing and submitting your abstract. Attend live on Friday, July 25 from 8:00 -10:00 am. Register now - the workshop is available to all employees of the Johns Hopkins Health System at no cost. A recording of the workshop will be available on-demand after July 25. 

Visit the Center for Nursing Inquiry's Index of Resourcespage for on-demand content - podcast, videos, and articles that will help with the abstract review process. 

The Center for Nursing Inquiry holds virtual Office Hours on the second Tuesday of every month. Drop in to ask a question or stay for a longer consult. Join us June 10, July 8, August 12, or September 9. 

Each hospital in the health system has inquiry experts! Check with your local inquiry council if you need advice on your project. Email us if you would like assistance connecting with your local inquiry council. Some Johns Hopkins Inquiry Councils will be setting aside specific times for abstract support sessions which will be listed below - check back for updates!

Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital Email | Web Page | Flyer

The JHACH Inquiry Council has set aside an hour (from 12:00-1:00) during their monthly council meeting on June 11, July 9, August 13, and September 10 to provide support to JHACH nurses and other employees who are interested in submitting an abstract for the 2026 SHINE Conference. JHACH nurses can sign-up to reserve a spot for abstract support. Email them if you have any questions about attending a support session.

Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Email | Web Page | Flyer

The JHBMC Nursing Inquiry Council will set aside time during their monthly council meeting on August 13 and September 10 to provide support to JHBMC nurses and other employees who are interested in submitting an abstract for the 2026 SHINE Conference. Visit the council's web page or email if you have questions.

Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Email

The JHHCMC Nursing Inquiry Council will set aside time during their monthly council meeting on August 13 and September 10 from 2:30 - 4:00 to provide support to JHHCMC nurses. You can email your abstract for review (not required) before the session.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital Email | Flyer

The JHH Nursing Inquiry Council has set aside time for abstract support sessions during the August 13 and September 10 council meetings. If you have a question or need general guidance, drop-in on August 13 from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. If you would prefer more targeted one-on-one support (available August 13 or September 10,) register in advance here.

Sibley Memorial Hospital Email | Web Page | Flyer

The SMH Nursing Inquiry Council can provide abstract support for the 2026 SHINE Conference on September 10, from 3:00 - 4:00 pm. Email if you have questions.

Suburban Hospital Email | Flyer

The Suburban Hospital EBP Council will offer abstract support for staff interested in submitting an abstract to the SHINE conference. The council has set aside 1:30 - 2:30 pm during their monthly council meetings on July 9, August 13, and September 10. Email them if you have any questions about attending a support session.