“I wish we had more days! There were so many great presentations and projects; it was hard to choose which one to attend,” a Kaiser Permanente nurse said about the second annual Kaiser Permanente Northern California Research and Innovation Academy conference held on May 14 and 15, 2025.
The two‑day event was a showcase of nurse‑driven initiatives, reinforcing Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to excellence in nursing practice and patient care, featuring over seventy research and evidence‑based practice (EBP) posters from enthusiastic and dedicated nurses – some of whom were presenting for the very first time.
“Our nurses are actively contributing to new nursing knowledge, transforming clinical and leadership practices, improving quality patient care, optimizing safety and helping our communities thrive,” said Jim D’Alfonso, DNP, RN, PhD(h), NEA-BC, FNAP, FAAN, executive director, regional patient care services and The KP Scholars Academy.
Over 200 participants explored the conference center to view posters and hear one-on-one about project outcomes from the authors. They also attended breakout sessions with podium presentations and panel discussions.
Regional Director for Community Health and Workforce for the Future Trevor Murray, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, NI-BC; and Lead Clinical Practice Consultant Jenny Mendenhall, MSN, RN, CHSE, CNL, CNOR delivered a keynote presentation on community health and EBP, showcasing a virtual reality (VR) operating room training program, in which participants were offered a hands-on demonstration with the VR headsets following the presentation.
The Sacramento Medical Center team, led by Chief Nurse Executive Esperanza Chavez, MSA, BSN, RN, was recognized for the most abstract and poster submissions with 30 shared at the conference.
Awards were given to the most innovative and best designed posters.
A project led by Antioch nurses Rosie Dela Cruz, BSN, RN; Mhagsy Celestino-Pingul, MSN, RN; and Connie Quinones, BSN, RN titled “Impact of the Advances Alert Monitoring Clock Alert Pathway on the Reduction of Code Blue Events and Full Code Ward Deaths” took the honor of most innovative poster.
Manteca Medical Center nurses Akashdeep Sandhu, RN and Kyle Nunes, RN were recognized for the best designed poster for their project on airway protection after maxillofacial surgery.
“Our nurses are raising the bar with the projects and outcomes presented,” said Toby Marsh, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FACHE, regional chief nurse executive and vice president of clinical integration. “Their work and innovation have great impact that benefits other nurses and our patients.”
Stay tuned for more information on the 2026 Research and Innovation Academy conference, and how to subject your projects.