CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
The Professional Association of Nurses in Developmental Disability Australia (PANDDA) is pleased to invite you to join us for the 37th Annual National PANDDA Conference.
The two-day conference will be held on Monday 26 October and Tuesday 27 October 2026 at the Mercure Hotel, Sydney.
The conference will be an interactive and informative event and a valuable opportunity to meet and share our experiences as nurses, people with lived experience, support workers, and health and other professionals who support, care, advocate, educate, and research in the area of intellectual and developmental disability. Through sharing stories, experiences, research, innovation, and insights, we can strengthen our commitment to providing quality care, support, and advocacy.
Conference theme
Evidence, Experience & Practice... nursing identity and impact
The 2026 theme focuses on how evidence and lived and practice experience shapes nursing identity, and how nursing creates impact for people with developmental/intellectual disability across settings and systems. The program will highlight practice that is grounded, ethical, person-centred, and outcomes-focused, and will promote collaboration with people with lived experience, families, communities, and service partners.
Presentation format
Each presentation is allocated 20 minutes plus 5 minutes question time.
Inclusive language
Abstracts must follow the inclusive language guidance outlined in the Abstract Submission Guidelines. Abstracts that do not meet inclusive language requirements will not be eligible for review.
PANDDA awards
Abstract submission provides an opportunity for nurses and/or people with lived experience in intellectual and developmental disability to be considered for a PANDDA Award (where applicable). Award categories and eligibility details will be outlined in the abstract submission documentation.
Abstract submission
We look forward to receiving your abstract for consideration. Please ensure you follow the submission instructions to avoid delays in processing.
1. Download the Microsoft Word Abstract Submission Template
2. Complete the template in full, including presenter details and stream selection.
3. Submit your completed abstract by COB 31 August 2026 using the form below or by email to sue.easton@pandda.org.au
Review process
All abstracts that meet the basic requirements will undergo a blind review by at least two independent reviewers.
Key dates
Abstract submission close: COB Monday 31 August 2026
Notification of outcome: Monday 10 September 2026
Enquiries
If you have questions about abstract submission, please contact the PANDDA Conference Secretariat. Email: sue.easton@pandda.org.au
Abstract Submission Form
1 Nursing Research and Evidence in Practice: Research and evaluation that informs developmental/intellectual disability nursing practice, including empirical studies, practice-based research, program evaluation, and quality improvement. Presentations should describe implications for nursing judgement, care delivery, and/or service improvement.
2 Clinical Nursing Practice and Innovation: Everyday nursing practice and clinical innovation across developmental/intellectual disability contexts. Submissions may include case studies, practice development, models of care, and clinical problem-solving. Presentations should foreground nursing judgement, safety, and communication, and describe impact on outcomes.
3 Nursing Leadership, Identity and Professional Impact: Nursing leadership enacted through professional identity, ethical practice, and influence across systems, including the NDIS and health services. Submissions may address advocacy, workforce development, mentoring, scope of practice, and leading practice change in complex service environments.
4 Partnership, Inclusion and Lived Experience in Nursing Practice: Practice grounded in partnership with people with developmental/intellectual disability, families, and communities, including co-designed initiatives, inclusive practice approaches, communication strategies, supported decision-making, and collaborative models that strengthen access, safety, and outcomes. The nursing contribution should be clear.
5 Acute and Hospital Nursing: Inclusion, Practice, Access and Outcomes: Nursing care for people with developmental/intellectual disability in acute, subacute, and mainstream health settings, including emergency departments, inpatient wards, perioperative and procedural areas, outpatient clinics, and transitions of care. Topics may include reasonable adjustments, communication and consent, pain and distress assessment, safeguarding, and discharge planning.
Abstract topics and streams
Abstracts are invited on topics aligned with the conference theme and suited to one of the five conference streams below. Submissions may include research, evaluation, quality improvement, practice development, innovation, co-designed initiatives, education, and system-level initiatives. All abstracts should clearly state the nursing contribution and relevance to people with developmental/intellectual disability.
Attach your completed Abstract Submission Template