1. UHC-AACN
Coalition Releases Paper on Building Student Capacity
2. Apply Now for Nurse Reinvestment Act Grant
& Scholarship Funding
3. HRSA Seeks Faculty Members to Serve as Peer
Reviewers
4. AACN Establishes New Partnership with CampusRN.com
5. New ELNEC Award Winners Selected
6. Nursing School Deans Testify at Regional
VA Hearings
7. Appendix Added to New White Paper on Faculty
Shortages
8. AACN Summer Seminar Coming to San Diego
9. CCNE Board Considers Changes to Accreditation
Standards
10. Dr. Powell Testifies at Health Care Access
Rally
11. Applications Available for 2004 Scholar
Awards
12. Two AACN Surveys Currently Underway
13. AACN Calls for Increased Funding for Nursing
Education and Research
14. Apply Now for ELNEC Pediatric Palliative
Care Training Program
15. AACN President Featured in National Audioconference
16. Nursing and Pharmacy Partner on New Patient
Safety Initiative
17. New Partnerships and Grant-Funded Initiatives
18. Member News, Announcements and Awards
19. AACN Outreach and Advocacy Update
20. Opportunities and Resources to Consider
1.
UHC-AACN COALITION RELEASES PAPER ON BUILDING STUDENT CAPACITY
AACN
and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) recently
released a new white paper titled “Building Capacity
through University Hospital and University School of Nursing
Partnerships.” This joint effort represents the work
of a task force of nurse executives and nursing deans charged
with developing models to expand BSN enrollments and graduations
and increasing faculty resources through partnerships among
schools of nursing and university hospitals. The white paper
explores the challenge of expanding student enrollment,
focuses on the need for strategic alliances, and offers
a variety of short-term and long-term solutions. Read the
paper online
here.
2.
APPLY NOW FOR NURSE REINVESTMENT ACT GRANT & SCHOLARSHIP
FUNDING
The
federal Division of Nursing is now accepting applications
for four new scholarship and grant programs created through
the Nurse Reinvestment Act:
**The
Nursing Scholarship Program provides scholarships
to individuals to attend a school of nursing in exchange
for a commitment to serve for at least two years in a critical
nursing shortage area.*
**The
Internship and Residency Program supports the development
of internship and residency programs for nurse graduates
and registered nurses to improve education and nursing practice,
the quality of care, and nurse retention.
**The
Career Ladder Program funds nurse retention programs
that promote career advancement. Funding may also be used
to assist individuals in obtaining education and training
required to enter and advance within the nursing profession
through such methods as career counseling and mentoring.
**The
Enhancing Patient Care Delivery System Program provides
grant funding to improve nurse retention and patient care
by strengthening collaboration and communication among nurses
and other health care professionals and promoting nurse
involvement in organizational and clinical decision-making.
Application
materials may be downloaded from the Web at http://www.bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/reinvestmentact.htm.
Applicants may also request a hard copy by calling 1-877-477-2123.
The deadline to apply is June 6, 2003 for the grant programs;
June 30, 2003 for the scholarship program.
*IMPORTANT
NOTICE: Nursing Scholarship Program applicants must
request a packet by calling 1-866-867-6856. Applicants must
submit a scanner-ready form obtainable only by mail in the
application packet.
3.
HRSA SEEKS FACULTY MEMBERS TO SERVE AS PEER REVIEWERS
The
Division of Nursing is looking for peer reviewers to serve
as evaluators for the new grant programs authorized under
the Nurse Reinvestment Act. Reviewers need to identify their
area of expertise, clinical specialties, and the practice
settings in which they have worked. Those interested should
forward their Curriculum Vitae to Dr. Madeline Turkeltaub
at mturkeltaub@hrsa.gov,
301-443-6334. Dr. Turkeltaub will evaluate the information
provided and forward it to Wilma Johnson or Donna Rausch
in the Bureau of Primary Care. For more information, see
http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/grants/peerreview.htm.
4.
AACN ESTABLISHES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMPUSRN.COM
AACN
is pleased to announce that we have entered into a new partnership
with CampusRN.com to provide a greater level of service
to nursing students, faculty and deans at member institutions.
CampusRN.com is a leading online service dedicated to serving
the career planning needs of nursing students and potential
employers nationwide. The AACN-CampusRN.com partnership
involves two components: A new Scholarship Program for currently
enrolled nursing students and a Career Center for new graduates
looking to transition into the professional practice environment.
For more details, click
here. To access the new Career Center, visit http://aacn.campusrn.com/students/jobsearch.asp.
5.
NEW ELNEC AWARD WINNERS SELECTED
The
End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) is pleased
to announce the 2003 winners of the ELNEC Award. Congratulations
to the following individuals for their innovative implementation
of the ELNEC curriculum: Bonnie Garner, Western Carolina
University (NC); Diana Hershey, Wells House Hospice (CA);
Nancy Joyner, Altru Hospice/Home Services in Grand Forks
(ND); and Mary Lou Pederson, Northwest Renal Network (WA).
To win this award, trainers must 1) demonstrate excellence
in implementing ELNEC curriculum within their nursing program
or continuing education activity; 2) show creativity or
innovation when incorporating ELNEC content into their teaching;
and 3) share information about their training activities
over a 12-month period. Click
here for more information.
6.
NURSING SCHOOL DEANS TESTIFY AT REGIONAL VA HEARINGS
In April,
the National Commission on Veterans Affairs (VA) Nursing
conducted four regional field hearings across the country.
These hearings offered the local VA nursing staff an opportunity
to discuss their experiences working within the system and
to make recommendations for improvement. AACN provided written
testimony and invited members to represent the association
at each hearing. AACN’s representatives included: Elizabeth
Humphrey, EdD, RN from Louisiana State University; Gloria
Donnelly, PhD, RN, FAAN from Drexel University; Sheila Haas,
PhD, RN, FAAN from Loyola University Chicago; and Janet
Rodgers, PhD, RN, retired dean of the University of San
Diego. For more information about the National Commission
on VA Nursing or to read AACN’s written testimony,
see http://www.va.gov/ncvan
and http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/VAtestimony.htm.
7.
APPENDIX ADDED TO NEW WHITE PAPER ON FACULTY SHORTAGES
AACN
released a white paper in April titled “Faculty Shortages
in Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs: Scope of
the Problem and Strategies for Expanding the Supply.”
The paper has generated quite a bit of interest in the nursing
and health care communities. Over the past several years,
the deficit of faculty has reached critical proportions
as the current faculty workforce rapidly advances toward
retirement and the pool of younger replacement faculty decreases.
The purpose of this white paper is to summarize the scope
of the problem, discuss issues contributing to the shortage
of faculty, and put forth strategies for expanding the capacity
of the current and future pool of nursing faculty. A revised
version dated May 2003 has been released, including additional
examples of successful strategies suggested by schools at
the recent Hot Issues Conference in San Antonio. The updated
white paper is posted online
here.
8.
AACN SUMMER SEMINAR COMING TO SAN DIEGO
AACN’s
2003 Summer Seminar will be held July 20-23, 2003 at the
Coronado Island Marriott Resort in San Diego. The theme
“Connections, Colleagueship, and Collaboration”
characterizes the conference, held in conjunction with a
meeting of the University HealthSystem Consortium Chief
Nursing Officers Council. Join colleagues from the practice
sector to discuss issues of mutual concern including the
development and maintenance of effective education-service
partnerships, the AACN/UHC nurse residency program, and
the proposed Clinical Nurse Leader role. Additional program
sessions will address the conceptual framework of collaboration
and pragmatic issues in developing the nursing workforce.
All interested nursing faculty and clinical nurse executives
are invited to register. Better yet, bring an education-service
team of leaders from affiliated agencies in your own community.
Conference details and registration information are available
online.
9.
CCNE BOARD CONSIDERS CHANGES TO ACCREDITATION STANDARDS
In a
move to strengthen professional nursing education programs
nationwide, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
(CCNE) has agreed to amend the standards used to ensure
quality in baccalaureate and graduate level nursing programs.
The most significant proposed change relates to the use
of professional nursing standards and guidelines; specifically
“The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional
Nursing Practice” (AACN, 1998), “The Essentials
of Master's Education for Advanced Practice Nursing”
(AACN, 1996), and “Criteria for Evaluation of Nurse
Practitioner Programs” (National Task Force on Quality
Nurse Practitioner Education, 2002). Constituents have the
opportunity to comment on the proposed revisions. To review
the proposed Standards, see
here. Interested parties are invited to submit comments
to CCNE via e-mail to sbloom@aacn.nche.edu,
via fax to 202-887-8476, or via mail to Sarah Bloom, Accreditation
Manager, CCNE, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington,
DC 20036. The deadline for submitting comments is June 16,
2003. For complete details, read
the press release.
10.
DR. POWELL TESTIFIES AT HEALTH CARE ACCESS RALLY
On April
29, AACN Board Secretary Dorothy Powell, EdD, RN, FAAN,
presented remarks on behalf of nursing education at a Health
Care Access Rally on Capitol Hill. Sponsored by the Congressional
Black Caucus, Hispanic Caucus, Native American Caucus, and
Asian/Pacific Islander Caucus, the rally was organized to
raise awareness of the critical need to increase health
care access, extend coverage to the uninsured, and eliminate
health care disparities, particularly in communities of
color. Dr. Powell addressed these health care issues in
relation to nursing education and underscored the need to
recruit diverse students into professional nursing programs
and faculty roles. In her remarks, Dr. Powell stated: “AACN
and its member institutions believe that health care providers
and the nursing profession should reflect and value the
diversity of the populations and communities they serve.”
11.
APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR 2004 SCHOLAR AWARDS
Applications
are now available for Pre and Postdoctoral Scholarship Awards
available through the Building Academic Geriatric Nursing
Capacity Scholars Program. The John A. Hartford Foundation’s
Board of Trustees recently granted an additional $3 million
to this program that provides up to $100,000 in fellowship
and scholarship monies to selected nurse candidates. The
Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Program, one
of five Hartford funded nursing programs, is designed to
champion nurse researchers, educators and future leaders
in geriatric health care. Applications must be received
by December 15, 2003. For details, see http://www.geriatricnursing.org.
12.
TWO AACN SURVEYS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY
AACN
encourages members to complete two brief surveys currently
underway:
**The
Membership Satisfaction Survey provides a mechanism for
you to evaluate your experience with AACN and offer suggestions
on how services can be improved. We value your comments
and use your responses in developing the association’s
strategic plan. If you have questions about the survey or
need help accessing the online form, please contact Helen
Johnson at hjohnson@aacn.nche.edu.
Surveys must be received by May 30, 2003.
**The
Faculty Vacancy Survey is a follow-up to a survey conducted
in 2000 which collected information about vacant faculty
positions at AACN member institutions. The data obtained
from this survey are crucial to our efforts to inform stakeholders,
legislators, and the national media about the severe faculty
shortage. If you have questions about this survey or need
a copy of the survey form, please contact Janis Stennett
at jstennett@aacn.nche.edu.
Surveys must be received by June 6, 2003.
13.
AACN CALLS FOR INCREASED FUNDING FOR NURSING EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH
On May
12, Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan Collins (R-ME)
began circulating a “dear colleague” letter requesting
that the Senate support $175 million for Title VIII Nursing
Workforce Development programs in FY 2004. This request
is a $61.5 million increase, or 54.2% over the FY 2003 funding
level. The senators want to obtain over 50 signatures on
the letter to indicate majority support for increased funding
for nursing education. AACN has encouraged select member
deans in key states to contact their senators about signing
on to the letter. House staff are in the process of drafting
a similar “dear colleague” letter for circulation
in the House of Representatives. To read the letter, click
here.
AACN
is also working within nursing and the broader health care
community to promote the request of $175 million for Nursing
Workforce Programs and $160 million for the National Institute
of Nursing Research for FY 2004. AACN joined with organizations
from the nursing community, hospitals, long-term care industry,
and home health in sending a letter to the chairman and
ranking member of both the Senate and House Labor, Health
and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittees.
To read a copy of these letters, click
here.
14.
APPLY NOW FOR ELNEC PEDIATRIC PALLIATIVE CARE TRAINING PROGRAM
Applications
are now being accepted for the first ELNEC Pediatric Palliative
Care training program which will take place on August 14-16,
2003 in Pasadena, CA. This new offering in end-of-life nursing
care is available for clinical staff development educators,
nursing continuing education providers, representatives
from national nursing organizations, and others who will
educate nurses in pediatric settings. Participation is free,
but applications must be received by June 1, 2003. Space
is limited to 100 participants; early registration is encouraged.
For more information including an application form, visit
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC/index.htm.
15.
AACN PRESIDENT FEATURED IN NATIONAL AUDIOCONFERENCE
On May
15, the publisher of Legislative Network for Nurses hosted
a national audioconference on “Proven and Effective
Methods to Retain Nurses” that featured AACN President
Kathleen Ann Long, PhD, APRN, FAAN. Dr. Long discussed the
connection between nursing education, the practice setting,
and nurse satisfaction. She focused on several AACN initiatives
aimed at cultivating a professional nursing practice environment
and facilitating long-term nurse retention. These efforts
include education-practice partnerships, nurse residency
programs, the Professional Nursing Network, and the creation
of the new role of Clinical Nurse Leader. Also featured
in the conference was Jane Barnsteiner, PhD, RN, FAAN, director
of nursing practice and research for Children’s Hospital
of Philadelphia, who discussed evidence-based retention
strategies used to reduce the hospital’s nurse turnover
rate from 23 to 11 percent. To request a copy of the slides
used in this presentation, please contact Ayesha Pathak
at apathak@aacn.nche.edu.
16.
NURSING AND PHARMACY PARTNER ON NEW PATIENT SAFETY INITIATIVE
On May
15, the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy profiled
how leaders from the nursing and pharmacy communities were
developing a shared vision for safe medication use in hospitals
in light of workforce challenges in both professions. The
need to improve the safety of medication delivery in hospital
systems, from prescription to administration, was examined
as well as the imperative to include patient and family
members in medication safety procedures. This article was
the result of a meeting held last December with AACN, American
Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, American Nurses Association,
American Organization of Nurse Executives, and the American
Society of Health-System Pharmacists. To access this article,
see http://www.ashp.org/public/pubs/ajhpopen/5b-sf-Thompson.pdf.
17.
NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANT-FUNDED INITIATIVES
In this
section, AACN spotlights 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.
**In
response to the growing faculty shortage, the Nell Hodgson
Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta
is launching a fast-track program that will train expert
clinical nurses in education in less than three months.
The 2003 Emory Summer Nursing Teaching Institute, a post-master's
certificate program, is being launched this summer with
a goal of attracting and retaining top teachers in nursing.
For more information, see http://www.nurse.emory.edu/Admissions/MSN/PostMSN_Teaching.asp
**The
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved the
creation of
a doctoral nursing program (PhD) at the University of Texas
at Arlington to prepare nurse scientists and increase the
number of qualified faculty to meet the health needs of
a diverse society. The Texas legislature recently passed
a bill which provides registered nurses in postgraduate
nursing degree programs, who plan to teach in a program
in Texas, in-state tuition rates regardless of the length
of time they have resided in Texas.
18.
MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND AWARDS
**In
June, Angela Barron McBride, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the
Indiana University School of Nursing, will step down as
dean following 12 years of distinguished service. Marion
E. Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN, will assume the deanship pending
approval by the Board of Trustees. Dr. McBride plans to
resume a faculty role in which she will continue scholarly
and fund-raising pursuits for the nursing school. To read
more about the dean’s legacy and contributions to the
profession, see http://www.newscenter.iupui.edu/newsreleases/mcbride_legacy_03.htm.
**Maureen
C. Creegan, EdD, RNC, has been appointed to the Rockland
County (NY) Board of Health, effective April 2003, by the
Honorable C. Scott Vanderhoef, County Executive. Dr. Creegan,
the first nurse to hold such a position, is director and
professor of the Division of Nursing at Dominican College
in Orangeburg, New York.
**At
a recent ceremony marking its fiftieth anniversary, Villanova
University announced a major endowment by the Connelly Foundation
to fund priorities in the College of Nursing. This award
will establish an endowed dean of the College of Nursing
and provide the college with the resources needed to enhance
curriculum development, support professional development,
and assist in keeping the nursing programs responsive to
the evolving needs of the healthcare system and the profession.
See the press release at http://www.nursing.villanova.edu/Announcements/endowment.htm.
**Karen
L. Miller, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the University of Kansas
School of Nursing, was recently elected Chairperson of the
Executive Committee of the National Advisory Council on
Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP). The Council advises
the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and Congress on policy issues related to the Title
VIII programs administered by the federal Division of Nursing.
For more information, see http://www.kumc.edu/news/publish/article_287.shtml.
**The
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Center for
Health Outcomes and Policy Research won the most prestigious
annual research award in health services research from AcademyHealth.
This award was presented for the Center’s paper "Hospital
Nurse Staffing and Patient Mortality, Nurse Burnout, and
Job Dissatisfaction," which was published in The Journal
of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in October 2002.
"We are all bursting with pride as this is the first
major recognition of research done by nurses and about nursing
in the national interdisciplinary association of scholars
and policymakers in health services research," said
Center Director Linda Aiken, PhD, FRCN, RN, FAAN. Associate
Center Director and Assistant Professor Sean Clarke, PhD,
RN, and Associate Professor Julie Sochalski, PhD, RN, FAAN,
co-authored the JAMA paper.
**Mary D. Naylor, PhD, RN, FAAN, was awarded the first annual
Claire Fagin Distinguished Research Award by the University
of Pennsylvania. Dr. Naylor, Penn’s Marian S. Ware
Professor in Gerontology, was honored for her recent work
involving an interdisciplinary effort with the Schools of
Medicine and Social Work titled "Building Interdisciplinary
Geriatric Health Care Research Centers.” Read more
at http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/claire_fagin.
**Peter
Buerhaus, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Valere Potter Professor of
Nursing and senior associate dean for research at the Vanderbilt
School of Nursing, has received a grant from Johnson &
Johnson to help them evaluate the success of the “Campaign
for Nursing’s Future.” This multimedia, $20 million
campaign was launched last year to improve the image of
nursing, recruit new nurses and retain them in the profession.
19.
AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE
**Last
month, AACN staff completed over 40 meetings with key appropriations
staff on funding for Nurse Workforce Development programs
and the National Institutes of Nursing Research. In a recent
meeting with senior Appropriations Committee staff, AACN
learned that the Administration’s priority bills, Department
of Defense and Military Construction and the “No Child
Left Behind” education initiative, are slated for funding
increases in FY 2004. The Hill staff expressed concern that
these increases may come at the expense of public health
programs, including Title VIII nursing programs. AACN staff
will continue to meet with congressional leaders and Hill
staff over the next several months to advocate for increased
funding for nursing education and research programs in FY
2004. For more information about AACN’s FY 2004 appropriations
requests, click below:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/workforcedevelopment.htm
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/supportninr.htm
**On
May 12, the TriCouncil for Nursing met at the Washington,
DC headquarters of the American Organization of Nurse Executives.
TriCouncil members – AACN, ANA, AONE and NLN –
discussed legislative priorities and federal funding levels
for programs that support nursing education, research and
practice.
**On
May 15, AACN intern Allison Webel, a senior nursing student
at The Ohio State University and a John Glenn Institute
Fellow, represented AACN on the Health Professions and Nursing
Education Coalition (HPNEC) “Hill Day.” For more
information on HPNEC, see http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/hpnec.
20.
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES TO CONSIDER
**Check
out the Opportunity Alerts section of the AACN Web site
for the latest announcements of grants, fellowships, scholarships,
and other funding sources for nursing programs, students,
and research. Current listings, found at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/opps.htm,
include new funding now available through the Department
of Health and Human Services program Steps to a HealthierUS:
A Community-Focused Initiative to Reduce the Burden of Asthma,
Diabetes, and Obesity.
**The
Department of Health and Human Services is convening an
interactive conference to develop an action agenda for the
National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII), the network
of systems, policies, and procedures that will provide “anywhere,
anytime health information.” This open meeting, being
held June 30-July 2 in Washington, DC, will allow all attendees
to actively participate in the development of a national
agenda though discussions in small breakout groups. Complete
information and registration materials are available online
at http://www.nhii-03.s-3.net.
**The
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) will
hold their 10th annual educational symposium on April 22-24,
2004 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida at Disney’s Coronado
Springs. This year’s theme is “New Horizons in
Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: PCNA Moves into the Next
Decade”. Online registration and program information
is available at http://www.pcna.net.
**The
Tenth National Conference on Nursing Administration Research
invites each school of nursing to nominate one of its graduates
for the 2003 Dissertation Award. Each school may use its
own procedure to select its representative. The award will
be announced at the conference to be held October 8-11,
2003 at the School of Nursing at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. Nominations must be received by
June 15, 2003. For more information, contact Barbara Mark,
PhD, RN, FAAN, at bmark@EMAIL.UNC.EDU or see http://nursing.ce.unc.edu/narc/narc_overview.html.
**"Advancing
the Healthy People 2010 Objectives Through Community-Based
Education: A Curriculum Planning Guide" is an essential
resource for teaching health promotion and disease prevention
at all levels of health professions education. The 250-page
guide centers around eight planning units that are supported
by background readings, case studies, worksheets, handouts,
resources and reflection questions. For more information,
see http://www.ccph.info.
**The
National Training Institute for Child Care Health Consultants
provides training opportunities for pediatric/community
health faculty interested in linking health care with child
care. A state-of-the-art, train-the-trainers child care
health consultant training program has been developed that
includes both face-to-face and self-study components. For
more information, visit http://www.sph.unc.edu/courses/childcare.
**On
September 26, 2003, the National Council of State Boards
of Nursing will hold the NCLEX Invitational Conference at
the Wyndham Boston Tremont Hotel. Learn first-hand about
how NCLEX examinations are constructed, how they are administered,
the reasons why the NCLEX is important, and how the NCLEX
examination impacts the nursing profession, from education
to employment. For details, see http://www.ncsbn.org/public/events/events_index.htm.
