Guides
Nursing and Medical Poster Presentations: A UK Guide
Quick answer: For a nursing or medical poster presentation in the UK, first check the conference rules (many ask for A0 portrait), choose the right structure for your project (research, audit or quality improvement), and remove anything that could identify a patient. Keep the poster to about 300 to 800 words with clear charts, get sign-off from your supervisor and trust, and order printing early around your shifts.
Nurses, doctors, midwives, pharmacists and allied health professionals present posters at Royal College of Nursing (RCN) events, royal college meetings, regional NHS conferences and trust research days. A clinical poster has a few extra things to get right compared with other academic posters, such as patient confidentiality, audit and QI structures and NHS approvals. This guide covers each one.
1. Check the conference poster rules first
Every event sets its own size, orientation and display rules, so read the presenter guidance before you start designing. For example, the RCN Education Forum 2026 guidance asks for:
- A0 as the preferred size, displayed in portrait, with A2 portrait as the minimum.
- Felt poster boards of 1 m wide by 2 m high, fixed with Velcro or drawing pins that presenters bring themselves.
- Posters in English, with permission for any photos from the owner and from anyone shown.
- Presenters by their poster at set times during the breaks.
Other conferences may ask for A1 or landscape, so always follow the guidance for your event. Our UK conference poster sizes guide lists what many UK conferences ask for.
2. Choose the right structure: research, audit or QI
Clinical posters usually fall into one of three types, and each has a slightly different structure:
| Poster type | Typical sections |
|---|---|
| Research | Background, aims, methods, results, conclusion, implications for practice, references |
| Clinical audit | Background, audit standard and criteria, method (sample and data collection), results against the standard, action plan, re-audit date |
| Quality improvement (QI) | The problem, aim (specific and measurable), measures, change ideas and PDSA cycles, results (often a run chart), learning and next steps |
For QI posters, make three things stand out: the aim, what you changed and the results. A run chart with each PDSA cycle labelled tells the story better than a paragraph. For more detail on each section and word counts, see what to include on a research poster.
3. Protect patient confidentiality
A poster is a public document, so treat it like any other disclosure of patient information. Your professional code (the NMC Code for nurses and midwives, or GMC guidance for doctors) and your trust’s policies apply.
- Remove identifiers: names, initials, dates of birth, NHS or hospital numbers, addresses, exact admission dates and ward names that could point to one person.
- Watch small numbers and rare cases. A rare condition plus a location or date can identify someone even without a name.
- Check images carefully: crop out faces, tattoos and jewellery, and remove names or dates from X-rays and scans.
- Get written consent for any photo of a patient, and follow your trust’s clinical photography policy. Ask colleagues before using photos of them too.
- Report data in groups, such as percentages or totals, rather than individual cases.
If you are unsure, ask your information governance or Caldicott team before you print.
4. Get approvals and use logos correctly
- Agree the content with your supervisor, co-authors and project lead, and list everyone who contributed.
- Check logo rules. Ask your trust’s communications team before adding the NHS or trust logo, and use the version they give you.
- Thank your funders and add any acknowledgement or logo that your grant requires.
- Match your abstract. The title and authors should match what the conference accepted.
5. Design for busy clinical audiences
Delegates often visit posters in short breaks, so make the main message clear in seconds:
- Lead with the finding in the title or a highlighted box, for example “Falls fell by a third after hourly rounding”.
- Make charts big and label them clearly, with the key change marked on run charts.
- Spell out abbreviations at first use. Colleagues from other specialties may not know them.
- Keep text readable: body text of at least 24pt on A0 and strong contrast. See our academic poster font size guide.
- Add a QR code to your full report, audit tool or contact details.
6. On the day
- Bring fixings: Velcro dots or drawing pins, as many events do not provide them.
- Know your time slots and be by your poster when you are asked to be. Judging for poster prizes often happens then.
- Prepare a 30-second summary: the problem, what you did, what changed and what others can learn.
- Bring a few A4 copies or rely on your QR code for people who want more.
Our guide on how to present a poster at a conference has more tips on what to say to visitors.
7. Plan printing around your shifts
Shift patterns make last-minute printing stressful, so order a few days before you travel if you can. Send a PDF at the exact size, check it on an A4 proof first, and choose delivery to your home or workplace. If time is short, orders placed before 12PM (Monday to Friday) are printed the same day, and next-day delivery is available.
Quick checklist before you print
| Check | Done? |
|---|---|
| Size and orientation match the conference guidance | ☐ |
| Structure fits the project type (research, audit or QI) | ☐ |
| No patient identifiers in text, tables or images | ☐ |
| Written consent for any patient photos | ☐ |
| Supervisor, co-authors and trust have approved it | ☐ |
| Logos are the approved versions | ☐ |
| Title and authors match the accepted abstract | ☐ |
| Body text at least 24pt on A0, abbreviations spelled out | ☐ |
For general design checks, run through our academic poster checklist too.
Ready to print your clinical poster?
Upload your PDF to our medical poster printing page. A0 posters start at £34.99 and A1 at £29.99, printed on 260gsm matte or satin paper and rolled in a protective tube. Delivery is free across the UK, and orders placed before 12PM (Monday to Friday) are printed the same day.
Frequently asked questions
What size should a nursing conference poster be?
Many UK nursing and medical conferences ask for A0 portrait (84.1 × 118.9 cm), but some accept or require A1 or landscape. Always check the presenter guidance for your event.
What should a quality improvement poster include?
The problem, a specific and measurable aim, your measures, the change ideas and PDSA cycles you tested, your results (often a run chart), and what you learned and plan next.
How is an audit poster different from a research poster?
An audit poster compares practice against a set standard and ends with an action plan and re-audit date. A research poster tests a question and ends with conclusions and implications for practice.
Can I use patient photos on a poster?
Only with the patient’s written consent and in line with your trust’s clinical photography policy. Remove anything that could identify a patient, including faces, tattoos and names on scans.
Can I put the NHS logo on my poster?
Ask your trust’s communications team first and use the version they provide. Trusts have their own rules for how the NHS and trust logos are used.
