1. 2002
Enrollment and Graduations Data Released
2. AACN Receives Funding to Extend Leadership
Program
3. Accreditation Alliance Endorses Standard
on Distance Education
4. Join Us for AACN’s Annual Meeting in
March
5. Master’s Preconference Focuses on Geriatrics
and APN Curriculum
6. Register Now for Master’s Conference
Coming to Florida
7. Online Nursing Shortage Resource Updated
8. ELNEC Training Offered for Graduate Nursing
Faculty
9. AACN Cosponsors “Cover the Uninsured
Week”: March 10-16, 2003
10. Internet-Based SEVIS Training Available
for School Officials
11. Application Deadline Nears for NIH Loan
Repayment Programs
12. Mark Your Calendars for the Hot Issues
Conference in April
13. Executive Development Series Returns in
March
14. HRSA Now Accepting Applications for NELRP
Assistance
15. AHRQ Sponsors Two Upcoming HIPAA Workshops
16. Nursing School/Hospital in Africa Seeks
Donations
17. New Partnerships and Grant-Funded Initiatives
18. Member News, Announcements and Awards
19. AACN Outreach and Advocacy Update
1.
2002 ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATIONS DATA RELEASED
On December
20, 2002, AACN released selected findings from the 2002
Annual Survey which showed that enrollments in entry-level
baccalaureate programs in nursing increased by 8 percent
over last year. Survey results are based on responses from
a total of 578 (84.8 percent) of the nation’s nursing
schools with baccalaureate- and graduate-degree programs
that were surveyed in fall 2002. The survey found that total
enrollment in all nursing programs leading to the baccalaureate
degree was 116,099, up from 106,557 in 2001. By comparison,
the total enrollment in 1995, the year enrollments began
to dip, was 127,683 for all baccalaureate nursing programs.
Though this increase signals a shift in enrollment trends,
the number of students in the pipeline is still insufficient
to meet the projected demand for a million new and replacement
nurses over the next 10 years. Read
the press release online. The full printed report will
be available in mid-February.
2.
AACN RECEIVES FUNDING TO EXTEND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
AACN
just received word that the Helene Fuld Health Trust has
provided the funding needed to extend the Leadership for
Academic Nursing Program for another three years. Launched
in 2002, this program is designed to enhance the leadership
capabilities of individuals aspiring to lead academic nursing
organizations and those new to the role of chief academic
administrator of baccalaureate or graduate nursing programs.
A directory of the first 60 Fellows selected to participate
in this program may be found online
here. You can also now view 2003
applications online. Watch for more details on future
issues of AACN News Watch.
3.
ACCREDITATION ALLIANCE ENDORSES STANDARD ON DISTANCE EDUCATION
The
growth of distance education courses and programs for the
delivery of nursing education has increased and is expected
to continue to increase. Recognizing this growth and the
need to ensure the public that nursing education programs
maintain a high standard of quality, the Alliance for Nursing
Accreditation has released a new statement on distance education
policies. The Alliance calls for all nursing education programs
delivered solely or in part through distance learning technologies
to meet the same academic program and learning support standards
and accreditation criteria as programs provided in face-to-face
formats. Read the new statement online
here.
4.
JOIN US FOR AACN’S ANNUAL MEETING IN MARCH
Make
plans to join us for AACN’s Spring Annual Meeting coming
March 22-25, 2003 to The Fairmont Washington hotel (formerly
the Washington Monarch). Under the theme "Nursing in
the National Spotlight: Taking Action,” this meeting
continues the discussion of national nursing reports begun
at the Fall Semiannual Meeting. Dr. Dennis O'Leary, President
of JCAHO, will highlight the recent report "Health
Care at the Crossroads: Strategies for Addressing the Evolving
Nursing Crisis." National speaker and author Dr. Tim
Porter-O'Grady will offer his views about nursing education's
priorities for the future. A special Capitol Hill roundtable
will be sponsored by Friends of the Division of Nursing
and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, offering an opportunity
for networking and discussion of legislative priorities.
Other program sessions include dealing with troubled and
disruptive students, and multigenerational perspectives
of the nursing workforce. The hotel is expected to fill
quickly, so you are encouraged to make reservations as soon
as possible. Don't wait for the February 26 deadline. For
more information, click
here.
5.
MASTER’S PRECONFERENCE FOCUSES ON GERIATRICS AND APN
CURRICULUM
The
John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing,
in collaboration with AACN, is pleased to offer a special
opportunity for APN faculty attending the Master's Education
Conference (see #5 below). A free pre-conference session
on “Geriatrics and the Advanced Practice Curriculum”
will highlight APN competencies and the latest resources
for integrating geriatrics into APN curriculum. This exciting
opportunity is limited to the first 100 registrants. For
conference information and registration details, visit
here. To learn more about the Hartford Institute initiatives,
see www.hartfordign.org.
6.
REGISTER NOW FOR MASTER’S CONFERENCE COMING TO FLORIDA
AACN’s
2003 Master’s Education Conference will be held February
27–March 1, 2003 at the Amelia Island Plantation, Amelia
Island, Florida. The theme is “Focusing the Kaleidoscope
of Master’s Education in Nursing: Valuing the Variety
of Patterns and Colors.” Nationally recognized speaker
and author Dr. Tim Porter-O'Grady will discuss controversial
recommendations for re-thinking master's education. Other
topics include learner-centered program development, online
strategies, teaching cultural competence, and the realities
of preparing and using faculty at the master's level. Attendees
may join special interest groups that will encourage dialogue
on topics such as building a new program, the clinical doctorate,
innovative partnerships, second-degree students, new AACN/CCNE
standards for nurse practitioner education, and how best
to incorporate mental health content. Registration deadlines
are January 29, 2003 for the hotel and February 27, 2003
for the conference. For additional information or to register,
click
here.
7.
ONLINE NURSING SHORTAGE RESOURCE UPDATED
AACN
strives to keep our Web site up-to-date with the latest
news and information related to nursing education, research,
and practice. In the Web-based Nursing Shortage Resource,
a new section has been added on the “Impact of Nurse
Staffing on Patient Care,” the Nursing Shortage Fact
Sheet has been revised using the latest data, and new items
have been added to the “Strategies” and “Legislation”
sections. Access
the Nursing Shortage Resource here.
8.
ELNEC TRAINING OFFERED FOR GRADUATE NURSING FACULTY
With
funding provided by the National Cancer Institute, the End-of-Life
Nursing Education Consortium will offer the first training
for faculty in graduate nursing programs on June 19-21,
2003 in Pasadena, CA. Training is available to full- or
part-time graduate faculty interested in end-of-life care
and integrating end-of-life care knowledge and skills within
graduate degree nursing education. The application deadline
to participate in this training has been extended to March
1, 2003. For complete details, click
here.
9.
AACN COSPONSORS “COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK”: MARCH
10-16, 2003
Building
on the momentum generated by the February 2002 launch of
the “Covering the Uninsured” educational and advertising
campaign, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and stakeholder
organizations are pleased to cosponsor Cover the Uninsured
Week. This unprecedented weeklong series of national and
local activities will take place from Monday, March 10,
through Sunday, March 16, 2003, in an effort to sensitize
the public and opinion leaders to the plight of more than
41 million Americans who lack health insurance. AACN is
proud to serve as a cosponsor of this campaign. Visit http://covertheuninsuredweek.org
for complete details.
10.
INTERNET-BASED SEVIS TRAINING AVAILABLE FOR SCHOOL OFFICIALS
EDS
and Drake Certivo, Inc, have developed a comprehensive,
Web-based training course to help school officials understand
and use SEVIS, the Student and Exchange Visitors Information
System. Mandated in the Patriot Act of 2001, schools must
comply with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
regulations to collect, maintain and update information
regarding international students and visitors by January
30, 2003. For more details on this training, see http://www.sevistraining.com.
11.
APPLICATION DEADLINE NEARS FOR NIH LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is now accepting
online applications for its five loan repayment programs
through January 31, 2003. The NIH loan repayment programs
are offered to repay up to $35,000 a year of qualified educational
debt for health professionals pursuing careers in Clinical,
Pediatric, Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged
Background, Contraception and Infertility, or Health Disparities
research. Participants must have achieved a doctorate-level
degree, devote 50% or more of their time to research funded
by either a non-profit organization or government entity
(Federal, State, or Local) and have educational loan debt
equal to or exceeding 20% of their institutional base salary.
For more details, see http://www.lrp.nih.gov
for information or call 1-866-849-4047.
12.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE HOT ISSUES CONFERENCE IN APRIL
The
first biennial Hot Issues Conference will be held April
24-26, 2003 at the Marriott San Antonio Rivercenter. The
theme of the conference is "Building Faculty Leadership
During the Shortage: Solutions from a Faculty Perspective."
The target audience is faculty members rather than senior
leadership, although all nurse educators are welcome. Faculty
are directly affected by the current and growing faculty
shortage, and have a significant role in identifying and
implementing solutions to the crisis. This conference offers
faculty an opportunity to hear the views of experienced
nursing academic leaders and, in extensive discussion among
participants, clarify current issues and share strategies
for success. Access the brochure by clicking
here.
13.
EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT SERIES RETURNS IN MARCH
Programmed
around the theme “Management Tips for Leaders of Schools
of Nursing,” AACN’s 2003 Executive Development
Series will take place March 21-22, 2003 at the Fairmont
Washington hotel in Washington, DC. The series enables participants
to examine issues from various perspectives and apply them
to their own environments by providing a forum to network
and discuss individual concerns in small groups. Sessions
provide administrative skill building opportunities to new
deans, interim and acting deans, directors, associate/assistant
deans, administrative faculty, mid-level managers, and coordinators.
Sessions will also present pragmatic approaches to financial
management, faculty development, and maintaining scholarship.
For more details, click
here.
14.
HRSA NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NELRP ASSISTANCE
The
Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) provides
loan repayment of up to 85% of outstanding student loans
to qualified nurses who agree to work in eligible health
care facilities. The Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) is now accepting applications for this program through
March 31, 2003. For more information including an application
form, see http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/loanrepay.htm.
HRSA prefers that applications be submitted online, although
they will still accept paper copies.
15.
AHRQ SPONSORS TWO UPCOMING HIPAA WORKSHOPS
Offered
on both the East and West Coasts by AcademyHealth, “Playing
by New Rules: Privacy and Health Services Research”
is a workshop designed to help health services researchers
learn how to obtain data while complying with the new privacy
regulations. Sponsored by the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ), this workshop will educate the health
services research community on its responsibilities and
obligations under the new HIPAA Privacy Rule to protect
the confidentiality of personally-identifiable health information.
One-day workshops will be offered on March 19, 2003 in San
Francisco and April 29, 2003 in Washington, DC. For more
information, see http://www.academyhealth.org/privacy.
16.
NURSING SCHOOL/HOSPITAL IN AFRICA SEEKS DONATIONS
The
Christ Foundation Nursing School & Hospital in the African
city of Kinshasa is seeking donations to support its mission
of providing nurse training and health care to vulnerable
populations and communities living in extreme poverty. This
non-profit organization is seeking manuals about nursing
and medicine, specifically those focused on internal medicine,
pediatrics, gynecology and obstetrics, surgery, otorhynolaryngology,
opthamology, and infectious diseases. The hospital is also
in need of surgical equipment and supplies, operating room
and delivery room equipment and supplies, medical tables,
hospital beds and bedding, and medical and nursing uniforms.
To make a donation or request more information, contact
Dr John Kabuika Fwamba at christfoundation_rdc4@yahoo.fr.
17.
NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANT-FUNDED INITIATIVES
Below
are new partnerships and initiatives launched by members,
corporate citizens, philanthropies, and government sponsors
that effectively increase student capacity, add new nursing
faculty, increase student diversity, address the nursing
shortage, and enhance the way education is delivered.
**The
University of Arizona College of Nursing is teaming up with
two clinical partners - Carondelet Health Network and University
Medical Center - to offer a 14-month accelerated BSN program
for college graduates. Beginning in June 2003, the program
will provide financial support to a total of 48 students
who will have their tuition entirely covered by either Carondelet
or UMC in exchange for a two-year work commitment. Total
cost to the health organization partners is $27,500 per
student. "This community partnership can be seen in
the context of a national trend in which hospitals are playing
a larger role to help expand nursing programs," said
Dean Marjorie Isenberg, DNSc, RN, FAAN. See http://www.ahsc.arizona.edu/opa/news/dec02/2ndnews.htm.
**Late
last year, the Virginia Partnership for Nursing (VPN) launched
the “Nurses Change Lives” campaign to inspire
K-12 students to consider a nursing career. The campaign
features a Website – http://www.nurseschangelives.com
– and a series of posters that depict nurses and their
healing powers. To find out more about this campaign or
to order the posters, visit the Web site or call 1-866-VPN-CHAT.
VPN is a statewide nursing workforce initiative and part
of the Colleagues in Caring Initiative funded through The
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
18.
MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND AWARDS
**The
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) selected
AACN nominee, Dr. Linda Caldwell, DNSc, APRN, BC, Chairperson
of the Division of Nursing at Curry College in Massachusetts,
as a 2003 Primary Health Care Policy Fellow. This program
is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration
(HRSA) and provides fellows with a six-month intensive curriculum,
including four weeks of on-site training on the development
and implementation of primary care policy, programs and
legislation. For more information about Primary Health Care
Policy Fellows, visit http://www.primarycaresociety.org/index.htm.
**Elizabeth C. Poster, PhD, RN, Dean of the University of
Texas at Arlington School of Nursing, was named “Healthcare
Hero” by the Fort Worth Business Press. Local readers
were asked to nominate people they believed to be heroic
in the area of healthcare; people who have “gone beyond
the norm to do wondrous things.” Dr. Poster was selected
for this honor from over 100 candidates and was recognized
at a dinner ceremony on January 15, 2003.
**The
Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, soon to be the official
publication of the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association,
is increasing in frequency from quarterly to bimonthly and
will now accept unsolicited manuscripts. The editors are
seeking manuscripts on any cardiovascular topic, including
clinical manuscripts, state of the science literature reviews,
and data-based research reports. Send manuscripts and inquiries
to briegel@nursing.upenn.edu
or dmoser@uky.edu.
19.
AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE
Below
are new partnerships and initiatives launched by members,
corporate citizens, philanthropies, and government sponsors
that effectively increase student capacity, add new nursing
faculty, increase student diversity, address the nursing
shortage, and enhance the way education is delivered.
**Last
month, an invitational discussion was co-convened by nursing
and pharmacy leaders to develop a shared vision about safe
medication use in hospitals in light of workforce challenges
in the both professions. Colleagues met on December 17,
2002 to discuss strategies to increase medication use safety
in hospital systems. The value of first “do no harm”
was revisited and considered in relation to the concept
of the potential clinical significance of medication errors.
Safety net, human factors, and power gradients among health
care professionals were considered in relation to error
prevention. The need to improve the safety of the delivery
of medications in hospital systems, from prescription to
administration, was examined as well as the imperative to
include patient and family members in medication safety
procedures. Multidisciplinary team training, continuing,
and advanced education were explored. AACN’s representatives
at this session included Executive Director Geraldine Bednash,
PhD, RN, FAAN; Gerontology Program Director Deirdre K. Thornlow,
MN, RN, CPHQ; and Zane Robinson Wolf, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean
at LaSalle University School of Nursing (PA).
**On
January 7, 2003, AACN staff attended a briefing with Capt.
Kerry Nesseler, MS, RN, Associate Administrator of the Bureau
of Health Professions. Capt. Nesseler discussed the goals
and activities of the Bureau for the upcoming year. The
event was hosted by the Health Professions and Nursing Education
Coalition (HPNEC). For information, click on the following
links: http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/hpnec
and http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/default.htm.
**AACN staff attended a meeting on January 9, 2003 at the
DHHS to discuss the implementation of the Nurse Reinvestment
Act. In attendance were Dr. Elizabeth Duke, HRSA Administrator,
Capt. Kerry Nesseler MS, RN, Associate Administrator of
the Bureau of Health Professions, and Denise Geolot PhD,
RN, FAAN, Director of the Division of Nursing. The purpose
of the meeting was to discuss the following provisions of
the new law: career ladder programs, enhancing patient care
delivery systems, and internship and residency programs.
**On
January 10, 2003, AACN Executive Director Geraldine Bednash
addressed the staff at the Association of American Medical
Colleges. Dr. Bednash presented on the state of nursing
education today and the need for collaboration among the
health professions.
**On
January 13-14, 2003, AACN participated in the quarterly
meeting of the Tri-Council for Nursing held at the Washington,
DC offices of the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
Discussions centered on appropriations for nursing programs
in FY 2003 and FY 2004.
