The journey to organizational growth

Thousands of nurses from across the United States and the globe will convene October 8–10, in Atlanta, GA, for the 2025 Magnet & Pathway Conference™. Nurses who attend this extraordinary meeting will connect with peers, learn best practices, and explore innovative strategies in the nursing profession. They’ll return to their organizations brimming with ideas for improving their work environments, blueprints for solving their practice challenges, and contacts to source answers for both practice- and profession-related questions.

The Magnet & Pathway Conference celebrates the Magnet Recognition Program® and Pathway to Excellence® Program, the organizations that have attained Magnet and Pathway designations, and the nurses who work at those organizations. However, nurses in all practice settings who attend the meeting can gain immediately actionable insights and new perspectives that advance their organizations’ journeys to excellence and accelerate their own professional development.

How can nurses who don’t work at Magnet- or Pathway-designated organizations gain valuable insights at the conference applicable to their work environments?

Through some 142 concurrent sessions, attendees can hear directly from nurses about practice improvements they’ve implemented successfully and the challenges they faced in doing so. Attendees can speak one-on-one with subject matter experts who’ve conducted quality improvement studies, implemented innovations like virtual nursing, and assessed the impact of nursing interventions on patient outcomes. They also can build a valuable professional network for mentorship and allyship.

The time and resources spent at the Magnet & Pathway Conference can pay vital, long-term returns by giving nurses from all areas and settings the playbook to nurse empowerment.

Although I encourage all nurses to experience this high-impact event, the journey to Magnet and Pathway can start in any healthcare organization with a search of the literature about these programs, and from there, identifying a focus area to pilot.

At their essence, both the Magnet Model™ and Pathway Framework are about creating an organizational environment that enables nurses to provide quality patient care.

For more than 40 years, the Magnet Model components, such as transformational leadership and structural empowerment, have enabled nurses to flourish by setting the standard for excellence in their organizations. The Pathway Framework’s standards, such as shared decision-making and well-being, cultivate a positive practice environment that reaps organization-wide benefits.

Both Magnet and Pathway offer free self-assessments that can identify an organization’s current versus desired state. Having worked at Magnet organizations, I know these assessments invariably reveal gaps, such as differing perceptions of the work environment by direct care nurses and leaders. This kind of analysis, combined with published information about the Magnet Model and Pathway Framework, enables nurses to engage their colleagues and leaders in effecting positive change.

Even small steps can reap major rewards. For example, a unit council piloted for one service could demonstrate how a broader shared governance model would benefit the overall organization. The possibilities abound.

The Magnet & Pathway Conference concentrates the knowledge that nurses can gain about these programs. It also marks a meaningful moment in the journey to excellence that nurses can celebrate together.

Advance your nursing journey by joining us in Atlanta in October. Ignite your practice, forge connections for your future, and make a lasting impact on your organization.

Jennifer Mensik Kennedy PhD, MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
President, American Nurses Association

American Nurse Journal. 2025; 20(8). Doi: 10.51256/ANJ082517