The Guadalquivir Auditorium at IFEJA was the venue for this meeting, organized by the Official College of Nursing of Jaén (COEJ), which included both in-person and online participants. This edition focused on the analysis of scientific evidence, digital health, and new innovation strategies within the nursing profession.
“"For twelve years, we have been highlighting a profession that is the fundamental pillar upon which the future of the healthcare system must develop."
During the opening ceremony, Antonio Álamo, president of COEJ, highlighted the conference's trajectory, which in its twelfth edition solidifies its position as a crucial space for reflection and learning. He emphasized that, in an increasingly complex healthcare system, nursing responds with innovation, science, and continuous training, always keeping the patient at the center of its actions.
The event received broad institutional support, with the presence of figures such as Julio Millán, mayor of Jaén; Isabel Cano-Caballero, Health Councilor; Jesús Estrella, delegate of the Government of the Junta de Andalucía; Elena González, territorial delegate for Health; Francisca Medina, second vice-president of the Diputación de Jaén; Pedro Garrido, secretary general of the Subdelegación del Gobierno; José Luis Cobos, president of the International Council of Nurses; and Antonio Jesús Ramos, professor of Nursing and member of the organizing committee.
“"Nursing in Spain is a fundamental pillar of the health system. When we talk about care, companionship, and dignity in people's healthcare, there is always a nurse behind it, at all stages of life."
Mayor Julio Millán thanked Jaén for hosting the event and praised the College of Nursing of Jaén for its exemplary work and continuous professional development. He also highlighted the relevance of these conferences in addressing challenges such as staff shortages and the need for greater recognition for nursing. For his part, Jesús Estrella, delegate of the Andalusian Government, emphasized that the conference aims to democratize access to scientific knowledge, enabling professionals and students worldwide to learn about the latest advances in care management and health technology.
The morning program included presentations on practical tools for clinical practice, with interventions from experts such as Antonio Orly de Labry Lima from the Andalusian Center for Documentation and Information on Medicines (CADIME), and Eva Mª Martín Ruiz, professor at the University of Huelva. María Jesús Hernández López, a nurse at the Rafael Méndez Hospital in Murcia, presented the HELPeN project, focused on nursing leadership in addressing unwanted loneliness.
The international dimension of the meeting was evident with the participation of José Luis Cobos Serrano, president of the International Council of Nurses, who addressed current challenges in care within the National Health System, and Professor Patrick Cotter, director of the Master in Advanced Practice at University College Cork, who shared the experience of the Irish model.
The afternoon sessions were dedicated to specific areas such as military nursing, led by Lieutenant Colonel Alicia Moreno Moreno, and advanced practice in oncology, presented by Montserrat Álvarez Colorado, a specialist at the Virgen Macarena Hospital in Seville. The program also included topics such as technical updates, the impact of hospitalization on caregivers, and a session on artificial intelligence applied to health, delivered by Mariano Salas Martínez from Google Spain.
The event concluded with a dialogue from “Factoría Cuidando,” featuring Serafín Fernández Salazar and Antonio Jesús Ramos Morcillo, followed by a closing ceremony that combined dissemination and entertainment with a performance by mentalist magician Nacho Fenollar. In this way, Jaén reaffirms its position as a national and international reference point for debate and innovation in the field of nursing care.
