Editorial_Final_+4_24_23


Online Journal of Rural Nursing and Health Care, 23(1) 
https://doi.org/10.14574/ojrnhc.v23i1.741 

1 

Editorial 

Back in Live Action: The 2023 International Rural Nurses Conference 

Pamela Stewart Fahs, PhD, RN, Editor 
 

For those of you with a history with the Rural Nurse Organization (RNO), you will remember 

pre-pandemic the conferences we had about every two years. As with many activities that nurses 

enjoyed, the in-person conference was not possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. So, we 

punted, holding a virtual conference last year that went well; however, we are back and meeting 

in an area close to my heart, Johnson City, Tennessee. To learn more about the conference and 

register use this URL: https://www.etsu.edu/2023-IRNC 

For the 2023 International Rural Nurses Conference we will be experiencing the best of both 

worlds. The conference is live; however, if you cannot attend in person, there is an opportunity to 

register for a virtual version. Those who attend the live version will also have access to taped 

sessions that may have been missed when there was more than one choice during the same time 

period. 

This conference is being hosted by two Universities, East Tennessee State University, School 

of Nursing and the Binghamton University, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences. There 

is a great line up of keynote speakers as well as very interesting podium and poster presentation 

that rose to the top during the peer-review process. There will be panels on interprofessional 

practice and publishing. At the end of the conference, there is an opportunity to take an optional 

tour of Grandfather Mountain, a favorite in this area of Appalachia. I am looking forward to the 

conference and the trip to Grandfather Mountain. I hope to see you all there.