
August 21, 2026
Boston, MA
229
AANA 2026 is a Healthcare & Medical show in Boston, MA with approximately 229 exhibitors expected.
More detailed information about this show will be added soon.
Keynote — Rebekah Gregory: Boston Marathon bombing survivor delivers "Survival Starts the Story. Resilience Builds the Rest." — an honest, humorous session on resilience and practical tools for personal and professional rebuilding.
Featured Session — AI in Practice: "From Skepticism to Strategy: Embracing AI in Your Practice" offers attendees practical guidance on integrating artificial intelligence to improve clinical performance and elevate patient care.
Education Tracks (100+ sessions across 8 focus areas):
Signature Congress Events:
Attendees can earn up to 25.25 MAC Ed CE credits across 100+ sessions and 2 NEW workshops.
The AANA Annual Congress draws 4,500+ attendees, making it nurse anesthesiology's largest annual gathering. The audience comprises CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, nurse anesthesiology residents, RNs, APRNs, program administrators, faculty, educators, and state association leaders. Exhibitors gain access to more than 4,000 CRNAs, students, residents, RNs, and APRNs who use anesthesia-related products and services in daily practice. The 2026 congress features 229 exhibiting companies.
Registration is available online at aana.com/premier-event/annual-congress/register/. Both live (in-person) in Boston and virtual attendance options are offered.
Key deadline:
Pass types:
Membership not required: Anyone may register — AANA membership is not a prerequisite. After registering, attendees receive a confirmation email with details on how to book accommodations in the AANA discounted hotel room block.
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) was founded on June 17, 1931, when 48 nurse anesthetists led by Agatha Hodgins met at the University Hospital of Cleveland Lakeside in Cleveland, Ohio, to establish the National Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NANA). The organization's first annual meeting was held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1933, drawing 120 attendees and electing Agatha Hodgins as inaugural president.
Over the following decades the AANA grew substantially in both membership and professional influence. It now represents over 61,000 CRNAs and nurse anesthesia residents — approximately 90% of all CRNAs in the United States. The Annual Congress evolved from that inaugural 1933 gathering into the world's largest educational, professional, and social event for nurse anesthesiologists.
In August 2021, members voted to rebrand from the "American Association of Nurse Anesthetists" to the "American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology," reflecting a modernization of the profession's identity. The 2026 congress carries special historical resonance: it is set in Boston, where in 1846 the first public surgery using ether was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital — the birthplace of modern anesthesia — honoring a legacy nearly two centuries in the making.
Detailed exhibitor list is being compiled. Check back soon or visit the official show website for the most current information.
415 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210
The Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center (MCEC) — formerly known as the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC) and renamed in July 2025 to honor former Boston mayor Thomas M. Menino — is among the largest exhibition centers in the Northeastern United States. It is situated in Boston's Seaport District near the South Boston waterfront.
Key facility features:
The MCEC South Lot provides approximately 1,300 parking spaces for daily attendee parking.
Rates:
Parking is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. To reach the South Lot, turn from Summer Street onto East Side Drive, drive past the valet area, continue to the end of the building, turn right, and follow the ramp down.
If the South Lot reaches capacity, overflow parking may be available at the Boston Marine Industrial Park (BMIP) Garage or nearby waterfront surface lots, all within walking distance of the MCEC. Offsite parking is not guaranteed and is not managed by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA). Attendees are encouraged to use public transportation when possible.
By Air: Fly into Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), just 8 minutes from the MCEC — the shortest airport-to-convention-center travel time in the country.
By Public Transit (MBTA): Take the Silver Line SL1 to World Trade Center Station, then take the elevator up to Level 2 of the MCEC — the most direct and convenient transit option from downtown or the airport.
By Rail or Bus: South Station (serving Amtrak and regional bus carriers) is approximately a 15-minute walk from the MCEC.
By Car: The MCEC is accessible via I-90 (Exit 25, "South Boston") or I-93 (Exit 23, "Purchase Street"), with signage directing drivers to Summer Street and the venue entrance.
AANA has negotiated discounted room block rates at the following hotels. After registering, attendees receive a confirmation email with details on how to book within the block.
All three properties are within the immediate Seaport neighborhood, steps from the convention center, Boston Harbor, and the historic Fort Point District.
Am Assn Of Nurse Anethetists
The AANA Annual Congress 2026 runs August 21–25, 2026, at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center, 415 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. A virtual attendance option is also available for those who cannot attend in person.
The congress is designed for CRNAs/nurse anesthesiologists, nurse anesthesiology residents, RNs, APRNs, program administrators, faculty, educators, and state association leaders. Anyone may attend — AANA membership is not required to register.
Register online at aana.com/premier-event/annual-congress/register/ and choose live in-person or virtual attendance. An early bird discount applies to registrations completed before June 10. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with details on booking the AANA discounted hotel room block.
Annual Congress offers 100+ sessions across eight tracks — Patient Safety, Clinical Practice, Pharmacology, Pediatrics/OB, Research in Action, Business of Anesthesia, Well-being, and resident-specific programming — plus 2 new workshops. Attendees can earn up to 25.25 MAC Ed CE credits.
Boston holds a unique place in anesthesia history: the first public surgery using ether was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital in 1846, making it the birthplace of modern anesthesia. The 2026 congress theme, Revolutionizing Anesthesia: From Past to Future, honors that legacy while spotlighting AI in clinical practice, innovation competitions, and the next generation of nurse anesthesiology leaders.