Next Gen Nurse Practitioners

Great to have such a fantastic group of sponsors supporting our conference this week - thank you! 👏👏

Day☝️ of the Next Gen Nurse Practitioners Conference has landed! 🛬

🚀 The countdown is over!

Tomorrow marks the commencement of the 2026 Next Gen Nurse Practitioners Conference at Westmead Education & Conference Centre, bringing together some of Australia's most passionate, innovative, and inspiring Nurse Practitioners and advanced nurses working across Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD).

Over the next two days, delegates from across metropolitan, regional, and rural Australia will come together to learn, collaborate, challenge ideas, and explore the future of Nurse Practitioner practice. From cutting-edge clinical updates and emerging treatment approaches to interactive simulations, pharmacology challenges, and networking opportunities, this year's program promises to be our most dynamic and engaging event yet.

Our conference theme, "Pushing the Scope: Powering the Practice," reflects the incredible evolution of AOD Nurse Practitioner roles and the growing impact advanced nurses are having on patient outcomes, service innovation, and healthcare leadership.

What makes this event special is its boutique atmosphere, an opportunity to connect with colleagues, share experiences, foster new collaborations, and strengthen the national AOD nursing community in a way that larger conferences simply can't achieve.

We are incredibly grateful to our speakers, sponsors, exhibitors, and attendees for helping make this event possible and for your ongoing commitment to advancing excellence in AOD care.

We look forward to welcoming you all over the next two days and celebrating the outstanding work being done by Nurse Practitioners and advanced practice nurses across Australia.

See you at Westmead!

Darren Smyth & Jason Harrison
Conference Directors
Next Gen Nurse Practitioners

We’re pleased to welcome Dr Jeremy So to the Next Gen Nurse Practitioners Conference 2026.

A UQ graduate and GP, Dr So specialises in metabolic syndrome, complex type 2 diabetes, mental health and obesity. He is the Founder and Director of Simply Balanced Weight Management and Clear Focus Adult ADHD Clinic in Morayfield, Queensland.

Bringing a comprehensive, holistic and patient-tailored approach to care, Dr So’s work aligns with the conference focus on practice excellence, real-world complexity, and advancing clinical capability across AOD and broader health settings.

📣 Final call. This is it!

🎟️ Ticket sales for the Next Gen Nurse Practitioners Conference 2026 close at 𝟴:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺 (𝗔𝗘𝗦𝗧), 𝗦𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟰 𝗠𝗮𝘆.

Our purpose-built conference designed by and for AOD Nurse Practitioners, Advanced Practice Nurses, and clinicians looking to deepen their capability in the AOD space. Across two days, you’ll get evidence-based education, hands-on clinical skills, and real-world learning experiences that reflect the complexity of modern AOD practice.

Don’t miss it. Secure your place now!

𝙑𝙞𝙚𝙬 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙚: https://bit.ly/4tS43iF
𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙏𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙨: https://bit.ly/4uhSnqC

Today, we celebrate the people at the heart of healthcare. 💙

On International Nurses Day, we recognise the extraordinary contribution nurses make every single day through care, advocacy, leadership, innovation and compassion.

From new graduates finding their feet, to experienced nurses mentoring the next generation, and those supporting healthcare in non-traditional roles, every nurse plays a vital role in creating positive change and improving outcomes for communities everywhere.

Today is a reminder to celebrate your influence, your ideas, your resilience and the difference you make each and every day.

Thank you to nurses everywhere for the care you give, the change you drive and the future you help shape. Happy International Nurses Day. 🩺

What will you learn at the 2026 Next Gen Conference? This isn’t theory for theory’s sake. It’s practical, clinical learning built for the AOD space.

You’ll deepen your capability in dependence and withdrawal management across alcohol, opioids, amphetamines, benzodiazepines and cannabis, alongside critical areas like toxicology, pain management, pharmacotherapy prescribing, and pathology interpretation for advanced practice.

You’ll explore emerging and complex areas shaping care, including medicinal cannabis, ADHD, GHB, hepatitis C, alcohol use in pregnancy, and evolving models like telehealth and multidisciplinary care. Plus, stay across what’s changing with MBS and PBS updates, RN prescribing, and the growing role of AI in healthcare.

This is hands-on learning. Clinical skills stations, case-based workshops, a pharmacology “shark tank”, and even a clinical escape room are designed to build confidence, sharpen decision-making, and translate knowledge into practice.
This is your opportunity to strengthen your scope, expand your thinking, and walk away with skills you’ll actually use.

Info & Tickets: www.nextgennursepractitioners.com.au/events

Time is running out to secure your place at the 2026 Next Gen Conference!

Purpose-built for AOD Nurse Practitioners, NP candidates and students, advanced practice nurses, and clinicians looking to enter or strengthen their AOD practice, this event is designed to deliver practical, real-world learning you can take straight back to your setting.

Across two days, you’ll hear from 20+ expert speakers, take part in interactive sessions, and connect with peers working at the forefront of the AOD space. It’s a rare opportunity to build capability, expand your network, and invest in your professional growth. Don’t miss your chance to be part of it.

➡️ Info & tickets: www.nextgennursepractitioners.com.au/events