AONL 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is AONL?
The premier US conference for nursing leadership: 3,700+ CNOs, nursing directors, and VPs of patient care. These leaders influence purchasing decisions for clinical technology, staffing solutions, patient monitoring, and workflow systems. The 1,600+ acute care and 700+ health system attendees are direct decision-makers.
What are the key facts about AONL?
- Host organization: American Organization for Nursing Leadership
- Primary specialty: nursing leadership
- Scale: mid
- Geography: US
- International attendance: ~2%
- See all Nursing conferences
Which device categories fit AONL?
Which buyer stages does AONL fit?
What does AONL charge for booth space?
Cost not published
American Organization for Nursing Leadership does not publish booth pricing for AONL that we can link to, so we do not list a figure here. We would rather show nothing than an estimate you cannot check. Ask them directly on the AONL exhibitor page ↗.
Planning the AONL booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends AONL?
3,700+ nursing leaders. 1,600+ from acute care. 700+ from health systems. 5% industry partners. 50+ high-impact sessions. Attendees are decision-makers who influence clinical technology, staffing, and workflow purchases at the hospital/health system level.
- Purchasing authority: ~65% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~2,405
- International attendance: ~2%
Where is AONL held?
- Venue: McCormick Place, Chicago, IL
- Management company: Trade Show Logic (exhibit sales); AONL (in-house)
Who else exhibits at AONL?
Exhibitor data coming soon for AONL.
Is AONL worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
The premier US conference for nursing leadership: 3,700+ CNOs, nursing directors, and VPs of patient care. These leaders influence purchasing decisions for clinical technology, staffing solutions, patient monitoring, and workflow systems. The 1,600+ acute care and 700+ health system attendees are direct decision-makers.
Why Skip
Nursing leaders influence purchases but often do not hold the final budget authority. That sits with the C-suite or supply chain. If you sell devices used by bedside nurses (not leaders), this is the wrong show. The 2-day exhibit hall (total ~11 hours) limits booth exposure time. McCormick Place union costs add to budget.
What should exhibitors know before AONL?
AONL overlaps dates with SHM Converge 2026 (also Nashville March 29 - April 1). Check for attendee crossover if you plan both. McCormick Place is Chicago's mega convention center, reliable but expensive for labor and drayage. The 4 hall badges + 1 full-conference badge per booth is generous. Trade Show Logic manages exhibit sales (not AONL directly).
What is the Buzzbox Score for AONL?
7.0 / 10 (Strong)
7.0 out of 10. A solid, dependable show for the right exhibitor. The lightest dimension is exhibitor experience (7.0, society-run exhibits (in-house)). The premier US conference for nursing leadership: 3,700+ CNOs, nursing directors, and VPs of patient care.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead. A factor we cannot source is left unscored rather than estimated, and the overall score above was set before any figure behind it was withdrawn.
Solid (7.4): 65% purchasing authority.
Not scored on cost: this organizer publishes no booth price we can link to.
Solid (7.8): attendee purchasing-authority data published, and all-in cost estimate available.
Solid (7.0): society-run exhibits (in-house).
Strong (8.1): solid exhibitor rationale, honest "who should skip" guidance, and the flagship / largest show in its niche.
Solid (7.4): mid-size with room to grow.
When are the AONL exhibitor deadlines?
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Exhibit Hall Hours | [object Object] |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at AONL?
AONL does not publish booth pricing we can link to, so we do not list a cost for this show. Rather than estimate one, we point you at the organizer's exhibitor page to request current rates directly.
How many people attend AONL?
AONL draws approximately 3,700 attendees. 3,700+ nursing leaders. 1,600+ from acute care. 700+ from health systems. 5% industry partners. 50+ high-impact sessions. Attendees are decision-makers who influence clinical technology, staffing, and workflow purchases at the hospital/health system level.
When and where is AONL 2026?
AONL 2026 takes place March 29 - April 1, 2026. The venue is McCormick Place, Chicago, IL. American Organization for Nursing Leadership hosts the meeting.
How many AONL attendees have purchasing authority?
About 65% of AONL attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 2,405 effective buyers out of approximately 3,700 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
How does Buzzbox Media score AONL?
AONL carries a Buzzbox Score of 7.0 out of 10 (Strong), with one caveat on this record: cost efficiency is not scored, because American Organization for Nursing Leadership publishes no booth price we can link to, and the overall score was set before that figure was withdrawn. The factors still scored are audience quality, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is editorial value at 8.1 and the lowest is exhibitor experience at 7.0.