The University of Maryland School of Nursing's 20th Annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI), held July 21-24, 2010, focused on the history makers in nursing informatics who evolved a discipline and the current and future leaders in nursing informatics who are forging the path of the discipline as we face the challenge of true meaningful use.

The cochairpersons of the SINI Program Committee were Mary Etta Mills, ScD, RN, CNAA, FAAN, professor, and me, Marisa L. Wilson DNSc MHSc RN-BC, assistant professor from the Division of Nursing Informatics at the University of Maryland School of Nursing. We were pleased to welcome home so many friends, colleagues, and alumni to the commemorative 20th Anniversary of SINI.

To highlight this milestone, the social event held on Thursday, July 22, 2010, launched the future with a celebration of the past, complete with an acknowledgement of those who pioneered. The keynote address by Connie White Delaney, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI, dean and professor, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, set the tone for the 4-day event.

Plenary speakers, Patricia Flatley Brennan, PhD, RN, FAAN; Gilad Kuperman, MD, PhD; Marilyn Chow, DNSc, RN, FAAN; and Murielle S. Beene, MS, MPH, MBA, RN-BC, PMP, offered diverse perspectives on the philosophy, technology, and quality inherent in a path to meaningful use of healthcare information technology for nurses at all points of care.

We are delighted to have been able to offer a wealth of information and opportunities for exchange to almost 500 participants; nurse informaticists, executives, educators, and other providers attended SINI either in person or via Webcast.

Preconference sessions, "Weekday Immersion in Nursing Informatics," led by Kathleen Smith, MScEd, RN-BC, FHIMSS, and Carol Bickford, PHD, RN-BC, and "Health Care Information Technology Project Management," led by Judy Murphy, RN, FACMI, FHIMSS, and Patricia C. Dykes, DNSc, MA, RN, provided attendees with learning opportunities with which to sharpen informatics competencies.

Concurrent sessions were organized into six tracks, "Enhancing the Safety and Quality of Care Through Informatics," "Maximizing Benefits From Existing Technology," "Educating Clinicians, Managers, and Informatics Professionals," "Leading Progress in Health Care Through Informatics," "Advancing Informatics Policy and Advocacy," and "Reviewing Lessons Learned From First Use to Meaningful Use of Nursing Informatics."

Norma Lang, PhD, RN, FAAN, FRCN, moderated a panel discussion with Judy Murphy, RN, FACMI, FHIMSS; Catherine Galla, MSN, RN; and Patricia Button, EdD, RN, during which these panelists sought to inform participants of methods for operationalizing meaningful use in existing systems.

Judy Murphy's thoughtful address on "My Meaningful Use Is More Meaningful Than Yours: Nursing's Contributions to the EHR" ended SINI with a call to review the current and future place of nursing data and information within heath information technology structures.

For those who attended SINI in person, there were opportunities to learn about the history of Baltimore, the University of Maryland School of Nursing, and the simulation laboratories. Many participants took the opportunity to attend the Nursing Informatics Graduate Programs' Information Sessions to learn more about the school of nursing's master of science, postmaster's, doctor of nursing practice, and PhD programs that focus on nursing informatics.

This writer, speaking on behalf of my cochair, wants to express my sincere appreciation to all who made this exciting program possible. The presenters, the exhibitors, the staff, the volunteers, the program committee, and the participants brought amazing energy to the 20th Anniversary of SINI. A special thanks goes to the sponsors who enable us to produce an exemplary program, at a reasonable price, for our participants. We would like to recognize Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), Meditech, Siemens Medical Systems, API Healthcare, and GE Healthcare for providing opportunity with sponsorship.

We are also very pleased to bring CIN readers the award winning abstracts from SINI 2010, as part of the ANI Connection for this issue of the journal.

Now SINI 2011 program planning is under way. The SINI Planning Committee looks forward to continuing the meaningful use theme of 2010 by exploring revolutionary thought and action in nursing informatics. We encourage future presenters to visit our Web site (http://www.nursing.umaryland.edu/informatics) for details and due dates for abstract submission. We encourage those who are reaching above and beyond with information technology to reflect and prepare to share the results and lessons learned of their work. We hope that everyone who reads this article will save the date for the 21st SINI, July 20-23, 2011. We look forward to seeing you here next summer.