Jonas Nursing, a leading supporter of doctoral nursing education in the U.S., and AACN announce the launch of the eighth cohort of the Jonas Scholars program.
AACN is pleased to announce that Jean Giddens, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, dean and professor of nursing at the Virginia Commonwealth University, has been appointed Chair of the AACN Board of Directors. Dr. Giddens officially began her two-year term as Board Chair at noon today following AACN’s Spring 2024 Business Meeting in Washington, DC.
AACN is pleased to see recommended increases to programs that support nursing education and the workforce in the Administration's proposed budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025.
Developing diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible environments where there is a collective sense of belonging is critical to achieving academic nursing’s mission and priorities.
AACN is pleased to announce the results of its 2024 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee.
AACN applauds the introduction of the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act (H.R.7266/S.3770) by our Senate Nursing Caucus Co-Chair, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and House Nursing Caucus Vice Co-Chair, and nurse Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14). This legislation calls for historic investments to address immediate nursing education needs, while providing proactive measures to meet future workforce demands.
AACN has launched a new survey instrument to assist nurse educators in their work to create inclusive learning environments where all students have a strong sense of belonging and purpose. With funding provided by Johnson & Johnson, AACN adapted its Leading Across Multidimensional Perspectives (LAMPSM) Culture and Climate Survey to better assess the experiences of diverse nursing faculty, students, and staff while identifying practices that facilitate student and professional success.
In response to workforce concerns, the National Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice (NACNEP) issued its 19th report to Congress and the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services earlier this month titled "Mitigating Nursing Workforce Challenges by Optimizing Learning Environments." In this report, NACNEP is advocating for immediate action to address four leading concerns, including the nursing faculty shortage, clinical preceptor training, nursing student internship opportunities, and nursing education infrastructure.
The National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing, a groundbreaking initiative of the American Nurses Association, has awarded funding to AACN to better prepare nurses to address racism in academic and clinical settings.
AACN unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism, violence, and discrimination.
AACN has played a central role in linking level of education to practice outcomes. Our advocacy around preparing a more highly educated nursing workforce stems from a core belief that baccalaureate and higher degree nursing education benefits both the patient and the nurse’s ability to practice at the highest level.
Given last fall’s enrollment declines and new concerns about the impact of the Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions, many academic leaders are anxious about what the new fall semester will bring. There are signs that enrollments may spike to pre-pandemic levels – most notably data reported by the Common App, the largest source of college application data in the U.S. Though there is some room for optimism, concerns remain given declining public confidence in higher education, uneasiness about the enrollment cliff, and an increase in the number of younger nurses leaving the profession and the impact this may have on career seekers.
Several concerns are generating much conversation in academic circles these days, including the increasing costs of higher education, the impact of the pandemic on student mental health and college readiness, leveraging AI and smart technology, sustaining enrollment levels, adapting to changes in student demographics, and maintaining unity despite increasing political partisanship.
AACN is committed to serving as the authoritative source of knowledge to advance academic nursing. To achieve this strategic goal, staff routinely scan the horizon for any new developments in higher education that would be of interest to member schools and potentially impel AACN to take action.
Earlier this month, AACN released findings from our Fall 2022 annual survey, which show declining student enrollment across nursing program levels. AACN staff are working to discern the causes of this downward turn and how we can best support schools in reaching their enrollment targets. We know from looking at the data from the National Student Clearinghouse, undergraduate college enrollment has dropped 8% from 2019 to 2022. This trend combined with the overall decline in the college-age population may be affecting enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs.
In 2022, for the first time since 2000, enrollment in generic baccalaureate programs declined slightly compared to the previous year. When comparing the schools that reported in both 2021 and 2022, enrollments decreased by 3,518 students (1.4%), contrasting with the 2.8% increase between 2020 and 2021.
AACN nd QGenda are pleased to announce the launch of a new scholarship program to support the preparation of new nurses and those seeking to advance their education. Open to nursing students pursuing baccalaureate and higher degrees at AACN member institutions, this program will award nearly $50,000 in scholarships through 2025, which will be administered by AACN’s Foundation for Academic Nursing.
According to new data released today by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the number of students in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs decreased by 1.4% last year, ending a 20-year period of enrollment growth in programs designed to prepare new registered nurses (RNs). With declines also recorded in master’s and PhD programs, collective action must be taken to strengthen pathways into nursing to ensure the nation’s healthcare needs are met. Despite the decrease in enrolled students, nursing schools turned away thousands of qualified applicants last year due largely to a shortage of faculty and clinical training sites.
To help schools find the answers to these questions, AACN is working to provide guidance, resources, and information needed to facilitate decision-making and help programs move forward at a comfortable pace.
The Foundation for Academic Nursing, the philanthropic arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), is pleased to announce the 2023 recipients of the Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurse Leader Scholarship. With funding provided by Liaison International, AACN’s partner in NursingCAS, this year's award winners are Nkemdilim "Kelly" Diaz, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at Winona State University, and Rika Win Kemp, a DNP student at the Medical University of South Carolina.
For more than two decades, schools of nursing nationwide have experienced an unrelenting shortage of faculty, which has frustrated efforts to meet nursing workforce needs. AACN has led the effort to document the impact of the shortage and help legislators see the direct connection between faculty supply and having enough nurses to keep patients safe.
AACN is pleased to announce the results of its 2023 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. With votes cast by member deans from the nation’s nursing schools with baccalaureate and higher degree programs, those selected to serve as AACN’s top leaders include Judith Karshmer (Treasurer) from Arizona State University; Deborah Jones from the University of Texas Medical Branch; Robin Newhouse from Indiana University; Demetrius Porche from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans; Julie Swann from Emory Saint Joseph’s Hospital; and Lin Zhan from the University of California, Los Angeles. New members of AACN’s Nominating Committee include Mary Anne Krogh from South Dakota State University, Mayola Rowser from Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College, and Tanya Sudia from Augusta University.
When AACN membership endorsed the latest iteration of the Essentials in April 2021, we knew the transition to this new model and framework for nursing education would take time and ingenuity. AACN’s task force and Board leaders projected that it would likely take 3 or more years for schools to adapt their entry- and advanced-level nursing programs using a competency-based approach to education. Now, 2 years into the transition process, it’s clear that schools have made great progress in evolving their programs to prepare more practice-ready nurses.
Jonas Philanthropies, one of the nation’s leading sources of support for doctoral nursing education and other critical healthcare priorities, is pleased to announce the establishment of a new home base for its nursing programs at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) in Washington, DC. This strategic move will position Jonas Philanthropies to amplify its work to address inequities in health care and support nursing, including the development of a diverse cadre of nurse faculty, advanced practice registered nurses, and nurse leaders.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce that 10 schools of nursing have been selected to participate in a national initiative designed to prepare the next generation of nurses with strong skills in the areas of leadership, resilience, self-care, and well-being.
AACN is pleased to announce that 10 schools of nursing have been selected to participate in a national initiative designed to transform nursing education and practice. With funding through the American Nurses Foundation’s Reimagining Nursing Initiative, AACN launched a three-year initiative earlier this year, titled Competency-Based Education for Practice-Ready Nurse Graduates, to accelerate the move to competency-based education and the rapid adoption of The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education.
AACN recognizes that advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is critical to developing a nursing workforce prepared to provide high-quality, equitable, and culturally appropriate health care. Our member schools share a commitment to preparing a community of scholars, clinicians, educators, and leaders who fully value the importance of DEI in eradicating health inequities and disparities in the nation and around the world.
Since its launch a decade ago, the GNSA has been an integral part of AACN. Membership is fast approaching 10,000 students with representatives from more than 85% of nursing schools offering graduate degree programs.
As the work to transition to the 2021 AACN Essentials moves ahead at schools nationwide, we encourage academic nursing leaders to use this opportunity to make new and stronger connections with their partners in practice. AACN was intentional about involving practice leaders in the development of the new competency standards to ensure that nursing education remains in sync with the current and future needs of the healthcare system. Partnerships are forming to rethink clinical learning experiences, identify skills assessment measures, enhance the practice readiness of new graduates, and meet many other shared goals.
On July 23, the academic nursing community was saddened by the news of the passing of Donald Jonas at the age of 92. As the co-founder of Jonas Philanthropies along with his wife Barbara, Mr. Jonas was a leading champion for nursing education who truly understood the strong connection between higher education and quality health care. The impact of his philanthropic work on reshaping nursing practice, education, and research will be felt for generations to come.
Strengthening doctoral nursing education is a top priority for AACN. Throughout the association’s history, we have remained committed to enhancing the health of all people through the discovery, dissemination, and application of nursing knowledge. We recognize that initiatives underway to transform health care, advance sound policy, and achieve health equity will not be possible without a robust cadre of nurses prepared in PhD and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs.
Responding to COVID-19 has had a transformative impact on what we teach, how we teach, and how we practice. Nursing programs moved quickly to adapt curriculum to ensure that graduating nurses at all levels are better prepared to respond to current and future public health emergencies.
Dr. Cynthia McCurren, Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), appeared before the House Appropriation Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies to discuss the importance of elevated funding for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Her testimony is part of the Subcommittee’s public witness hearing, where members of Congress hear from leaders throughout the nation on the importance of funding various federal programs. Specifically, Dr. McCurren requested at least $530 million for the Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $210 million for NINR in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.
Moving to implement the new Essentials requires intentional action and active engagement among all stakeholders, including faculty, deans, and practice partners. AACN is working on several fronts to identify resources, offer training, and share exemplars to help facilitate the work underway at member schools to adapt learning and assessment strategies.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) was awarded $1.5 million in funding through the American Nurses Foundation’s Reimagining Nursing Initiative to launch a three-year project titled Competency-Based Education for Practice-Ready Nurse Graduates. This project is designed to accelerate transformation in nursing education by supporting innovative approaches to competency development and skills assessment for new nurses.
The joy connected with hosting an in-person AACN Deans Annual Meeting last month was tempered by the news of the criminal conviction of former nurse RaDonda Vaught for making a fatal medication error. Despite numerous system failures contributing to this tragic accident, the individual nurse was held responsible for this terrible outcome, even though she was forthcoming about the unintentional errors made.
AACN and its more than 850 member schools of nursing have endorsed a new position statement, titled The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence, which promotes quality and innovation in nursing PhD programs (and similar programs focused on nursing science). With online ballots cast March 28-April 11, 2022, deans of the nation’s nursing schools affiliated with AACN voted to endorse this new statement developed to champion excellence in nursing education, stimulate strong interest among students in the PhD, and elevate nursing research.
President Biden has released the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Budget, which outlines additional investments in nursing and other key programs under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education, as well as a commitment to addressing many pressing issues facing the nation.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce that Cynthia McCurren, PhD, RN, dean and professor of nursing at the University of Michigan-Flint, has been appointed Chair of the AACN Board of Directors. Dr. McCurren began her two-year term as AACN’s highest elected official at noon today.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is pleased to announce an initiative focused on building leadership capacity in new nurses with a special emphasis on developing essential skills in resilience, self-care, and well-being. This two-year project, titled A Competency-Based Approach to Leadership Development and Resilience for Student Nurses, was launched with funding from the Johnson & Johnson Foundation in partnership with the Johnson & Johnson Center for Health Worker Innovation.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) has been awarded $1 million in funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to launch a new initiative titled Building COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence Among Nurses and in Communities. Although COVID-19 vaccines have been widely available for more than a year, only 64% of the US population is fully vaccinated. As part of this project, AACN will award funding to 10 schools of nursing nationwide to launch targeted campaigns to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccines and dispel health misinformation.
AACN is pleased to announce the results of its 2022 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. With votes cast by nearly two-thirds of all member deans from the nation’s nursing schools with baccalaureate and higher degree programs, those selected to serve as AACN’s top leaders include Board members Jean Giddens (Chair-elect) from Virginia Commonwealth University; Julie Sanford (Secretary) from the University of Mississippi Medical Center; Stephen Cavanagh from the University of California-Davis; Jerry Mansfield from Mount Carmel Health System; Victoria Niederhauser from the University of Tennessee Knoxville; and Ora Strickland from Florida International University. New members of AACN’s Nominating Committee include Wendy Likes from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Sally Maliski from the University of Kansas.
AACN, in collaboration with Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., is pleased to announce the release of the Trailblazing Innovation Faculty Tool Kit, developed to help prepare future nurses to serve as leaders, advocates, problem-solvers, and risk-takers throughout the healthcare system. This teaching resource centers on the themes highlighted in the award-winning documentary 5B, which provides a powerful look at the tremendous impact nurses can have on responding to public health threats, providing care to patients and communities at risk, and implementing new standards of care
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing recognizes diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as critical to nursing education and fundamental to developing a nursing workforce able to provide high quality, culturally appropriate, and congruent health care.
To spotlight the impact nurses have on leading innovation and advancing new models of care the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is creating new teaching tools designed to inspire the next generation of nurses to serve with courage, ingenuity, and compassion.
AfterCollege, the largest career network for college students and recent graduates, has partnered with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to provide support to students who are seeking baccalaureate, masters, or doctoral degrees in nursing. AACN is pleased to announce that the AfterCollege-AACN Nursing Scholarship has been renewed and will be administered by AACN’s Foundation for Academic Nursing. This annual $10,000 commitment will provide the opportunity for nursing students to complete their education and enter the nursing profession.
AACN s pleased to announce the results of its 2021 election to fill seats on the AACN Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. With votes cast by member deans from the nation’s nursing schools with baccalaureate and higher degree programs, those selected to serve as AACN’s top leaders include Lin Zhan (Treasurer) from the University of Memphis; Pier Broadnax from the University of the District of Columbia; Jean Giddens from Virginia Commonwealth University; Deborah Jones from the University of Texas Medical Branch; Susan Mullaney from UnitedHealth Group (practice representative); and Demetrius Porche from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans. New members of AACN’s Nominating Committee include Nancy Fahrenwald from Texas A&M University, Shirleatha Lee from the University of South Carolina Upstate, and Linda Thompson from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The Foundation for Academic Nursing, the philanthropic arm of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), is pleased to announce the first two graduate students to receive the Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurse Leader Scholarship. With funding provided by Liaison International, AACN’s partner in NursingCAS, the inaugural award winners are Taylor Bell, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student from the University of Florida, and Karina Strange, a PhD student from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.
Dr. Damon A. Williams, a visionary and inspirational leader, and one of the nation’s most recognized experts in strategic diversity leadership, youth development, corporate responsibility, and organizational change, will be the featured speaker at AACN’s Inaugural Diversity Symposium. This virtual event will be held on December 2-3, 2020. Dr. Williams will speak on “Understanding Inclusive Excellence”, addressing nursing school’s diversity and inclusion efforts at the core of institutional functioning.
The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) project is ending 2020 by surpassing a goal established 20 years ago with the project reporting that more than 1 million nurses and other professionals have been trained using the ELNEC curriculum. Administered through a partnership between the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and City of Hope (Duarte, CA), ELNEC achieves this significant milestone in November, which has been designated as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month.
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