All through history we have witnessed the power of people gathering to overcome challenges by building a moral community. Recognizing the pursuit of the moral good unites us together and is both empowering and sustaining. As healthcare professionals with shared ethical commitments, we are compelled to come together to build, strengthen, and sustain healthcare systems. Today, we face unique obstacles with diverse aims throughout our communities, summoning us to prioritize the ethics of caring and repair fractures that exist.

We hold each other accountable to honor the different voice – wherever it surfaces in the hierarchy – often hidden by rigidity, defensiveness and forgotten integrity. An ethic of caring invites individuals to voice questions or raise concerns that bring about compassionate respectful dialogue. We are not asked to do this alone. Rather together we create a culture that opens hearts that may be hardened by apathy, cynicism, or weariness, thereby building a community that reminds us of our shared humanity. Together we become a force that rekindles our moral imagination and nourishes our collective agency – where being seen, heard, and valued enhances strength and fortitude.

We share hope, even when it feels impossible, and are beckoned to cultivate it. Hope aspires creativity that transcends the status quo and with clear intention to discover ways to make things better. Collectively we find our way to a vision of caring and serving, with a steadfast commitment to the ethics and principles of our noble profession.
The 2026 National Nursing Ethics Conference continues to provide a foundation for moral community where dialogue, reflection, skill-building, exploration, growth, and flourishing combine to sustain these goals. Come join us to learn together how to intentionally collaborate, build relationships, and engage in respectful dialogue in a nurturing environment in which to grow and sustain ethical care.