The two-day programme offered a rich blend of learning formats. Eight hands-on workshops gave participants the opportunity to discuss practical strategies for optimising care locally, drawing on diverse international experiences. Plenary and parallel sessions covered topics spanning frailty management, leadership development, digital health, and patient-centred approaches — ensuring that both clinical and professional development needs were well addressed. Poster and doctoral sessions provided a valuable platform for sharing new research and exploring emerging topics, highlighting the strong evidence-building culture within the ACNAP community.
A congress highlight was the joint session with the Australian & New Zealand Cardiac Society, which explored frailty in the context of an ageing population — from comprehensive assessment tools through to palliative care pathways. This cross-continental exchange exemplified the spirit that defines ACNAP: an environment where delegates are encouraged to share approaches, challenge assumptions, and build lasting partnerships across borders, regardless of qualifications or seniority.
Digital health and artificial intelligence continued to attract considerable interest, reflecting a global momentum that closely mirrors developments within the German cardiovascular landscape. The Clinical Case Excellence Award session offered delegates a practical lens through which to evaluate real-world care scenarios, fostering rigorous clinical reasoning. The award won by Andreas Dirksen recognised German expertise and innovation on an international stage.
From a German perspective, ACNAP 2026 was an outstanding success. Eleven participants made the journey to Sophia-Antipolis, placing Germany among the top 10 countries in attendance, alongside a 77 % increase in ACNAP membership — a clear signal of growing engagement within the German cardiovascular nursing and allied health community. The German delegations contributions extended well beyond the award: posters and presentations covered cardio-renal disease management, polypharmacy, and medication safety in advanced heart failure care, reflecting the breadth of clinical expertise now being shared on the international stage.
The moderated Poster Session "Trust, Equity, and Multidisciplinary Pathway Innovation" generated rich discussion on care for patients with chronic cardiovascular conditions. Highlights included Maggie Simpson's call to align multidisciplinary practice to reduce inequity and reflections from the UK on patient trust as a measure of quality. The German delegation explored the Spanish Advanced Practice Nursing framework as a potential model for developing the APN role in cardiology at home. Presentations including the EduStra-HF trial on intensive education by specialist HF nurses from France and strategic lessons from a integrative review on polypharmacy management by Efthymia Rizou (Stuttgart) offered directly transferable insights for German clinical practice.
Throughout the congress, national society representatives met in person to advance shared academic initiatives and strengthen professional networks. This was a reminder that progress in cardiovascular care is built as much through relationships as through research.
Looking ahead, ACNAP 2027 will be held under the theme "Equity and Excellence in Cardiovascular Care." As nurses and allied professionals, we should all be inspired by this call to continue building the evidence base behind our clinical decisions and to ensure that high-quality cardiovascular care is accessible to every patient, regardless of background.
