More than 5,000 nurse practitioners are gathering in Las Vegas for the 2026 American Association of Nurse Practitioners National Conference, according to a June 23 announcement. The event is taking place at The Venetian Resort from June 23 to June 27 and is described as the largest conference for nurse practitioners worldwide.
The conference comes at a time when health care providers are addressing growing patient demand, workforce shortages, and efforts to improve access to care nationwide. According to the organization, over 461,000 licensed nurse practitioners currently provide patient-centered care across America. Their roles include diagnosing and treating illnesses, prescribing medications, ordering diagnostic tests, and managing both acute and chronic conditions in various settings such as primary care clinics, hospitals, emergency departments, and rural facilities.
For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report ranked the nurse practitioner profession as the number one job in America. It also received top rankings for Best Health Care Job and Best STEM Job.
AANP President Valerie Fuller said, “Every day, millions of patients choose nurse practitioners for their health care. This conference brings together some of the nation’s leading clinicians, educators, researchers and health policy experts to discuss how we can continue improving patient care, increase access and strengthen the health care workforce for the future.”
The five-day event will feature more than 330 educational sessions covering topics such as clinical advances, artificial intelligence in medicine, chronic disease management, preventive care strategies, mental health issues and cardiovascular health. Discussions will also address policy matters related to workforce development and strategies aimed at ensuring timely access to high-quality patient services.
Fuller said, “Patients deserve access to high-quality care close to home. Nurse practitioners are helping meet that need every day in urban, suburban and rural communities across the country. By investing in education, innovation and collaboration we can continue building a stronger health care system for the patients and families we serve.”
