Spring Annual and Fall Semiannual Meetings
AACN's
semiannual meetings in Washington, D.C. every spring
and fall provide nursing school deans/directors a forum
to discuss critical issues facing nursing programs in
universities and four-year colleges. Participants share
views with other leading administrators and policymakers
in timely sessions that examine infrastructure, funding,
programming, trends, and concerns of nursing higher
education. Semiannual meetings also keep members abreast
of pending federal legislation, regulatory matters,
and the latest developments at agencies and foundations
involved with nursing education and nursing research.
One associate dean may register with and accompany each
dean to the Fall Semiannual Meetings.
Baccalaureate
Education Conference
The Baccalaureate Education Conference was implemented
in 1998 at the recommendation of the AACN Board of Directors
and members. This annual conference is devoted to issues
of particular interest to baccalaureate nursing educators,
such as student demographics, curriculum issues, enrollment
trends, teaching approaches, and matters of legality,
ethics, and public accountability. The conference welcomes
Deans/directors, academic administrators, faculty, graduate
students preparing for nursing faculty careers, and
others interested in baccalaureate nursing education.
Group discussions, poster sessions and abstract presentations
encourage participants to clarify issues and share successful
approaches.
Master's Education Conference
The Master's Education Conference examines the role
of higher education in preparing nurses for a changing
health care and practice environment. Sessions focus
on issues and concerns unique to master's education
in nursing, particularly advanced practice. This annual
conference is designed to meet the needs of deans/directors,
academic administrators, and faculty in nursing master's
programs, and includes strategies and techniques to
improve advanced practice teaching skills, and assisting
master's students to assume expanded roles in the health
care system and respond to the issues that directly
affect advanced practice nursing. Multiple opportunities
exist for participants to discuss mutual concerns, offer
successful strategies, and share successes via discussions,
posters and abstract presentations.
Doctoral Education Conference
The annual Doctoral Education Conference, concerned
exclusively with offering the nursing profession's terminal
degree, welcomes deans, associate deans, doctoral program
directors, directors of research, faculty, and doctoral
students. Sessions address matters specific to doctoral
education in nursing, including teaching strategies,
program and student characteristics, and research requirements/funding.
Participants are encouraged to share successful approaches
and respond to the unique challenges affecting doctoral
programs.
Executive Development Series
AACN's Executive Development Series (EDS) increases
the knowledge and skills needed for successful leadership
in a school of nursing at a time of complex and accelerating
change in health care and higher education. The EDS
meetings are designed to ease the transition of faculty
into leadership positions. Faculty new or aspiring to
administrative positions as well as recently appointed
deans will find this conference particularly beneficial.
The workshop format encourages discussion among participants
as well as application of program content to one's own
setting. Topics change each year, and offer insights
into responsibilities faced by nursing education administrators
in academic and student affairs and management of financial
and human resources.
Faculty
Practice Conference
The Faculty Practice Conference, offered every other
year, helps nurse educators and others plan, implement,
manage, and evaluate faculty practice in an academic
setting or as an academic role. Participants consider
issues and trends in the design, implementation, and
evaluation of their faculty practice, and they enjoy
networking with nursing educators and business experts
who share their experiences in this unique environment.
Hot Issues Conference
The Hot Issues Conference is held every other year, alternating with the Faculty Practice Conference. Each biennial conference has a new theme reflecting an issue of most concern at the time to deans and faculty of AACN member schools. The inaugural Hot Issues Conference was held in April 2003, and topics to date have included the faculty shortage, the teaching role, and clinical simulation.
Faculty Development Conference
Begun in 2007, this annual conference is aimed at those new to the faculty role and those who would like to gain more self-confidence in teaching in baccalaureate and higher degree programs. Program and concurrent sessions address various aspects of the faculty role, creating an active learning environment, clinical teaching and evaluation, and other topics of interest to those who wish to improve their teaching practice.
Summer Seminar
This popular annual event allows deans/directors and
senior faculty to explore critical concerns in education
in a setting away from the pressures of daily administration.
Themes and topics change each year, addressing nursing
higher education issues and providing executive development
for aspiring, new, and experienced deans as well as
others in academic leadership positions.
Nursing
Advancement Professionals Conference
The Nursing Advancement Professionals (NAP) group is
for advancement professionals with responsibilities
and interests in the area of nursing philanthropy, public
relations, marketing, alumni relations, and institutional
advancement. This group meets annually in the Spring. Click here to access the
Nursing Advancement Professionals Web site.
BONUS
Annual Meeting
Business Officers of Nursing Schools (BONUS) is dedicated
to facilitating networking among those who work in the
administration of nursing education and to providing
education in areas of business, technology, and financial
and administrative management of nursing schools. Assistants
to the dean, fiscal managers, business officers and
any personnel involved in the operational management
of a school of nursing will benefit from attending this
conference. Click
here to access the BONUS Web site.
Graduate
Nursing Admissions Professionals Conference
Graduate Nursing Admissions
Professionals is a diverse group comprised of nursing
education administrators and faculty responsible for
graduate nursing student recruitment, admissions, marketing,
and programming. The purpose of the group is to provide
an opportunity for those most involved in recruiting
graduate nursing students to share their successes,
develop new strategies, and to establish a resource
network of peers.
SUGGESTIONS?
Please contact Barbara Penn, Director of Member Education,
bpenn@aacn.nche.edu.
