Newswise — The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses has expanded its scholarship program to help members enrich their careers and acquire knowledge and skills beyond degree-oriented coursework.
AACN’s Continuing Professional Development Scholarships are designed to promote lifelong learning, personal reflection and professional growth. Scholarships provide financial support to help members participate in internships, certificate programs, conferences and seminars. They may also fund tuition for limited academic courses if the specific course aligns with an applicant’s development plan.
“AACN recognizes that professional development extends beyond earning an academic degree, and we’ve expanded our scholarship program to provide qualified learning opportunities to members year-round,” says Ellen French, AACN’s recognition specialist.
The flexible design of the expanded program means scholarship applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and can be submitted for diverse educational opportunities related to the professional development goals of the individual nurse.
In 2010, 14 nurses received AACN scholarships to support individual activities related to professional development. Their areas of study included nursing ethics, research methods, informatics, health system leadership and specialized clinical courses.
More than 35 AACN members have received scholarships to the Nurse in Washington Internship (NIWI) program, held each spring in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by the Nursing Organizations Alliance, the three-day internship teaches clinicians how to advance healthcare agendas on a local, state and national level through the legislative process. NIWI provides advocacy and public policy training, role-playing exercises and opportunities to meet with Capitol Hill representatives.
AACN scholarships allow members to participate in evidence-based practice programs such as those available at the Center for the Advancement of Evidence-based Practice, Arizona State University College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Phoenix; and Sarah Cole Hirsh Institute for Best Nursing Practices Based on Evidence, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.
AACN also provides scholarships to members who wish to attend the Aspiring Nurse Leader Institute offered twice yearly by the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
Funding may be used for registration fees and associated expenses of travel, lodging and incidentals, with a maximum of $3,000 per approved recipient per year.
Visit http://www.aacn.org/scholarships for information about the various opportunities supported by the AACN scholarship program.
About the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses: Founded in 1969 and based in Aliso Viejo, Calif., the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) is the largest specialty nursing organization in the world. AACN joins together the interests of more than 500,000 acute and critical care nurses and claims more than 235 chapters worldwide. The organization’s vision is to create a healthcare system driven by the needs of patients and their families in which acute and critical care nurses make their optimal contribution. To learn more about AACN, visit www.aacn.org, connect with the organization on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aacnface or follow AACN on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aacnme.
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