May
2002 News Watch
1.
Grant Monies Awarded to Support Careers in
Geriatric Nursing
2. Task Force on Education and Regulation
Releases Report
3. AACN Joins with Johnson & Johnson
for Nurse Week Media Campaign
4. Support for the Nurse Retention and Quality
of Care Act
5. Funding Opportunity from The Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation
6. AJN Begins New Series on End-of-Life Nursing
Care
7. Summer Seminar Coming to Vail, Colorado
this July
8. Nurses for a Healthier Tomorrow Launches
Theatre Promos
9. Appropriations Update and AACN Testimony
10. Fact Sheet on AACN's Support for Articulation
Available
11. Revised Association Bylaws Now Posted
on the Web
12. Register Now for State of the Science
Congress
13. New Web Resource for Health Educators
14. Department of Education Issues Call
for Abstracts
15. AACN Welcomes Students from Bloomsburg
University
16. Member News, Announcements and Awards
17. AACN Outreach and Advocacy Update
1.
GRANT MONIES AWARDED TO SUPPORT CAREERS IN GERIATRIC NURSING
On May
3, 2002, AACN announced that 23 schools of nursing across
the country were awarded grants to support the education
and career development of geriatric advanced practice nurses.
Funded by a generous grant from The John A. Hartford Foundation
of New York, monies will be used to provide scholarships
for over 160 new nursing students wishing to pursue careers
as experts in the delivery of care to older adults. Scholarship
monies were awarded to schools of nursing with existing
geriatric advanced practice nursing programs to increase
student enrollment. The project is committed to increasing
the diversity of the advanced practice nursing workforce
and to providing networking, mentorship, role modeling,
and leadership activities for scholarship awardees and experts
in geriatric nursing.
Click here for a list of schools receiving grants and
details on other Hartford-funded initiatives.
2.
TASK FORCE ON EDUCATION AND REGULATION RELEASES REPORT
Chaired
by AACN President Kathleen Ann Long, PhD, RNCP, FAAN, the
Task Force on Education and Regulation for Professional
Nursing Practice released its final report in April. As
part of its charge, the task force developed a variety of
education models that frame various approaches to nursing
education for professional practice. These models were developed
based upon the need to produce a well-qualified generalist
nurse clinician who can provide high quality, effective,
and safe nursing care in today's complex health care environment.
The task force clearly understands that a broad consensus
of individuals from an array of settings, beyond education,
will be needed in order to effect changes in licensure and
scope of practice. The final
report and educational models are found online.
3.
AACN JOINS WITH JOHNSON & JOHNSON FOR NURSE WEEK MEDIA
CAMPAIGN
In honor
of National Nurses Week, AACN's Executive Director Polly
Bednash participated in a drive-time radio tour in support
of Johnson & Johnson's Campaign for Nursing's Future.
The "tour" consisted of a series of interviews
across the country on radio stations in Arizona, California,
Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma,
Oregon, and Texas as well as several national broadcasts.
For more details on the Johnson & Johnson campaign,
see http://www.discovernursing.com.
4.
SUPPORT FOR THE NURSE RETENTION AND QUALITY OF CARE ACT
AACN
endorsed the Nurse Retention and Quality of Care Act (H.R.
4654) introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) on May
2, 2002. The bill provides funding for hospitals to strive
for Magnet Hospital status. The bill supports 'best practices'
that promote interdisciplinary communication and ensure
nurse involvement in organizational and clinical decision-making
processes. The bill enhances health care institutions' efforts
to measure outcomes sensitive to nursing care and data collection
of adverse events and is similar in construction to the
Senate version (S. 1594) sponsored by Sen. Hillary Clinton
(D-NY) in 2001.
5.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FROM THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION
To increase
the use of effective treatment models for depression in
primary care settings, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
has funded "Depression in Primary Care: Linking Clinical
and System Strategies," a 5-year national program.
The Call for Proposals seeks research project proposals
designed to answer the question "What is the value
of providing quality care for depression in primary care
settings?", and "How can that value be best achieved
and documented?" Up to $5 million has been made available
in two separate categories of larger and smaller grants.
A letter of intent is due June 3, 2002. For more information,
go to www.depressioninprimarycare.org,
or contact Lin Hough, MPH, at houghlj@msx.upmc.edu.
6.
AJN BEGINS NEW SERIES ON END-OF-LIFE NURSING CARE
The
American Journal of Nursing (AJN), the official journal
of the American Nurses Association, has launched a bimonthly
continuing education series on palliative nursing care.
The series uses actual case studies to improve the way nurses
care for dying patients, both physically and psychologically.
You can view the series online at the AACN Web site by clicking
here and also on the ANA's site at http://www.nursingworld.org/ajn.
7.
SUMMER SEMINAR COMING TO VAIL, COLORADO THIS JULY
AACN's
Summer Seminar will be held July 21-24, 2002 at the
Sonnenalp Resort in Vail, Colorado. Guided by the theme
"Getting Ready for the Rest of the Future: Excellence
as a Change Strategy," participants will discuss current
books on organizational change, identify excellence as both
a current characteristic of programs and a higher goal,
share strategies for implementing change, and consider two
national recognition programs that encourage and reward
excellence. Attendees are encouraged to read in advance
one or more of the recommended books so they can join the
discussion on the relevance of the books to nursing education.
The conference is for deans and directors, associate/assistant
deans and directors, and senior faculty who aspire to executive
leadership roles in nursing education. The seminar format
is designed to provide opportunities for both learning and
leisure.
8.
NURSES FOR A HEALTHIER TOMORROW LAUNCHES THEATER PROMOS
Kicking
off during National Nurses Week, Nurses for a Healthier
Tommorrow has expanded its outreach campaign to include
advertisements in movie theaters nationwide. On-screen ads
feature nurses from the print campaign, highlights the "Nursing.
It's Real. It's Life." tagline, and directs moviegoers
to the Web site: http://www.nursesource.org.
Reaching more than 2.5 million people, the ads will appear
throughout May on 436 screens in the following major markets:
Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Baltimore, Dallas, Washington,
D.C., Atlanta, Detroit, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia,
San Francisco and Boston.
9.
APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE AND AACN TESTIMONY
AACN
completed initial meetings with congressional staff from
the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations
Subcommittees as well as individual appropriator's offices
for FY 2003. AACN emphasized the growing crisis in the nursing
workforce and the need to fund the Nurse Education Act with
an additional $40 million over FY 2002 levels and include
$10 million each for the Nursing Education Loan Repayment
Program and the Nursing Student Loan Program in FY 2003.
Additional funding for the National Institute for Nursing
Research (NINR) and the importance of providing a funding
'placeholder' for the Nurse Reinvestment Act were other
points of discussion in the meetings. For more information
on AACN's recommended funding levels for existing nursing
research and nursing education programs, click
here. To see AACN's written testimony to the Senate
and House Appropriations Subcommittees in support of NINR,
the Nurse Education Act, and other programs, click
here.
10.
FACT SHEET ON AACN'S SUPPORT FOR ARTICULATION AVAILABLE
A new
AACN fact sheet is available on our Web site entitled "Associate
Degree in Nursing Programs and AACN's Support for Articulation"
that addresses the association's long-standing position
on articulation and respect for previous learning experiences.
Also, a completely online version of the publication, "A
Model of Differentiated Nursing Practice," a joint
product of AACN, the American Organization of Nurse Executives,
and the National Organization of Associate Degree Nursing
will soon be posted on the Web. This landmark document recognizes
that nurses with differing educational preparation bring
different capabilities to the patient care system.
11.
REVISED ASSOCIATION BYLAWS NOW ON THE WEB
AACN
is pleased to inform members that the association's
bylaws have been updated and are now posted on the Web.
Updates include the creation of a new Provisional Institutional
membership category and a new provision to automatically
grant Honorary Membership to past presidents of AACN.
12.
REGISTER NOW FOR THE STATE OF THE SCIENCE CONGRESS
In an
effort to showcase the contributions of nurse researchers
and influence the national agenda, 23 of the nation's top
nursing organizations have joined together to host the 2002
State of the Science Congress in Washington, D.C. on
September 26-28, 2002. Nurse researchers from around the
country will join with recognized experts, funders of nursing
research, policy makers, and academic leaders to explore
emerging scientific discoveries related to nursing practice.
Over 180 original research papers and 100 posters will be
presented. AACN is serving as lead cosponsor for this event.
13.
NEW WEB RESOURCE AVAILABLE FOR HEALTH EDUCATORS
The
Resource Center for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (ReCAPP)
Web site is a virtual resource center designed for school
teachers, health educators and program planners working
in the field of adolescent pregnancy prevention. ReCAPP
is a unique resource in that it provides its users with
practical skills and learning activities grounded in current
research findings and health behavior theory. Users can
receive updates about monthly editions and online discussion
forums by joining the listserv found at http://www.etr.org/recapp/recappnotes.htm.
14.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ISSUES CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
The
U.S. Department of Education is seeking presenters for the
2002 National Meeting on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and
Violence Prevention in Higher Education. This year's meeting
takes place in Seattle on November 21-24 with the theme,
"Reaching New Heights: Building Partnerships for Comprehensive
Prevention." Presentation proposals should emphasize
violence prevention, emerging drug use patterns and problems,
and policy and enforcement tools.
Deadline to submit abstracts is May 24, 2002. For more details,
see https://secure.edc.org/hec/natl/2002/abstracts.
15.
BLOOMSBURG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS COME TO WASHINGTON, DC
On April
29, 2002, forty-two students and three professors from Bloomsburg
University (PA) came to Washington, DC and participated
in a legislative briefing with AACN's Governmental Affairs
staff. Topics of discussion were the legislative process,
lobbying practices, and the nursing shortage. Please get
your students involved in the political/legislative process
by planning a trip to Washington, DC. These briefings are
a membership benefit to you and always a learning experience
for the AACN staff! Please contact Gene Throwe at gthrowe@aacn.nche.edu
or 202) 463-6930, ext. 237 if you are interested in scheduling
a meeting.
16.
MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS AND AWARDS
**Eight
hospitals and health systems in the Jacksonville, FL, area
are together donating more than $1 million to the nursing
school at the University of North Florida to support five
and a half additional faculty positions for five years.
The funding will enable the school to expand annual enrollment
in its BSN programs by 48 students, including a joint program
with Florida Community College Jacksonville. The gift resulted
from a two-year collaborative effort among hospital administrators
and nursing educators about how to best meet the increasing
need for nurses. For more details, see
http://www.unf.edu/press-releases/bin/view2.pl?event=200204230.
**The
Nightingale Awards of Pennsylvania announces its thirteenth
annual "Call for Nominations" to identify outstanding
contributors to the nursing profession throughout the state.
This program recognizes and honors exceptional nurses in
Pennsylvania in all areas of nursing practice, education,
and research. The deadline to submit a nomination is June
1, 2002. For details, go to www.nightingaleawards.org.
17.
AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE
**AACN
strives to keep our members informed about new sources of
grant funding, scholarships, and fellowships. New
Opportunity Alerts have just been added to our Web site
including grants on newborn screening for sickle cell anemia,
hepatitis prevention, radiation exposure prevention, and
more.
**In
April, AACN joined the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research
Funding in honoring key House Appropriators -- Chairman
Ralph Regula (R-OH) and ranking member Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI).
These leaders were honored for their support of federal
funding for biomedical research including nursing research.
For more information on the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research
Funding, click here: http://www.aamc.org/research/adhocgp.
**On
April 5, staff attended an expert panel meeting held by
the Center for Health Policy, Research and Ethics at George
Mason University addressing a funding methodology for Title
VIII programs. This initiative is undertaken at the direction
of Congress and is funded by the Division of Nursing. The
final meeting will occur on June 6 and the panel will issue
a report to Congress in mid-June. For more information go
to the GMU Web site at: http://chpre.gmu.edu.
**On
April 11-12, AACN staff attended a meeting of the National
Advisory Council on Nursing Education and Practice (NACNEP).
NACNEP advises the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services and the U.S. Congress on policy issues
related to the Title VIII programs administered by the HRSA
Bureau of Health Professions Division of Nursing, including
nurse workforce supply, education, and practice improvement.
For more information on the NACNEP, click here: http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/nacnep.
**On
April 11, AACN staff attended a meeting of the Council on
Graduate Medical Education (COGME). COGME provides an ongoing
assessment of physician workforce trends, training issues
and financing policies, and recommends appropriate federal
and private sector efforts on these issues. For more information
on the COGME, click here: http://www.cogme.gov.
**On
April 17, Betty Rambur, DNSc, RN, Dean of the University
of Vermont School of Nursing, represented AACN with Health
Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) on Capitol
Hill. Dr. Rambur met with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Sen.
James Jeffords (I-VT), and the staff of the Senate Health,
Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. For more information
on the efforts of HPNEC, see http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/hpnec.
**On April 25, AACN hosted a meeting of the Tri-Council
for Nursing. The government affairs staff from all Tri-Council
members - AACN, American Nurses Association, American Organization
of Nurse Executives, and National League for Nursing - reported
on efforts to lobby in favor of nursing education and research
appropriations funding and the status of the Nurse Reinvestment
Act.
**On
April 25, Dr. Joan Stanley, AACN's Director of Education
Policy, was one of fifty individuals representing leading
nursing certification programs, accrediting agencies, and
advanced practice nursing organizations who attended the
National Council of State Boards of Nursing's (NCSBN) 8th
Annual Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Roundtable
held in Chicago. For more details, see http://www.ncsbn.org.
**On
April 26, AACN staff attended a meeting of the Medicare
Payment Advisory Council (MedPAC). Topics discussed at the
meeting include coverage of non-physician practitioners,
payment for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants,
and using information on quality in Medicare. At this meeting
commissioners voted to recommend to Congress an increase
in reimbursement rates for Certified Nurse Midwives from
65% to 85% of physician fees.
