01.
New Officers Selected for the AACN Board of
Directors
02. AACN Holds Special Election to Fill Board
Vacancy
03. Hartford Foundation Awards $1.8 million
Grant to AACN
04. Request for Proposals Issued for CNL Implementation
05. Highlights from Spring Annual Meeting
Posted Online
06. Advertise Vacancies on AACN’s Faculty
CareerLink
07. Apply Now for 2004 Geriatric Nursing Education
Awards
08. ELNEC Offers Professional Development
Options
09. AACN Honors Senators Barbara Mikulski
and Susan Collins
10. Nominations Needed for Sister Bernadette
Armiger Award
11. UCSF Seeks Applications for Nursing Faculty
Grants
12. Comments Needed on Draft Practice Doctorate
Position Statement
13. AACN Summer Seminar Coming to Santa Fe,
NM
14. FY 2005 Budget and Appropriations Update
15. Board Endorses New Position Statement
and Curriculum Framework
16. Update on Cover the Uninsured Week Activities
17. Link to the Tobacco Free Nurses Initiative
18. AACN Joins NAAHP as the Representative
from Nursing
19. Deadlines Approach for Two Federal Funding
Opportunities
20. Long-Term Care Leader Reaches Out to BSN
Students
21. Largest Union in UK Supports Degree-Based
Nursing Education
22. Government Affairs Committee Launches
Grassroots Liaison Program
23. New Partnerships and Grant-Funded Initiatives
24. AACN Outreach and Advocacy Update
25. Member News, Announcements and Awards
26. Opportunities and Resources to Consider
1.
NEW OFFICERS SELECTED FOR THE AACN BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jean
E. Bartels, professor and chair of the School of Nursing
at Georgia Southern University, assumed the role of President
of the AACN Board of Directors following the Spring Annual
Meeting in March. Dr. Bartels has served on the AACN Board
since 1995 in the roles of President-Elect, Secretary, Program
Committee Chair, task force leader and columnist for the
Journal of Professional Nursing. She is joined on the Board
by two newly elected members of the Executive Committee:
Dr. Jeanette Lancaster from the University of Virginia (President-Elect)
and Dr. Kathleen Potempa from Oregon Health and Science
University (Secretary). Also joining the Board as new Members-At-Large
are Dr. Lea Acord from Marquette University (WI), Dr. Melanie
Dreher from the University of Iowa; and Dr. Roberta Olson
from South Dakota State University. Read more online at
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NewsReleases/2004AACNPresident.htm.
2.
AACN HOLDS SPECIAL ELECTION TO FILL BOARD VACANCY
This
week through April 28, 2004, AACN will conduct a special
online election to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors.
Members will vote for candidates to fill the one-year, unexpired
term of Dr. Kathleen Potempa who was recently elected as
AACN Board Secretary. The two candidates nominated for the
open seat are Dr. Joan Creasia of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville
and Dr. Nancy DeBasio of the Research College of Nursing
(MO). All voting will be confidential; ballots must be cast
by April 28, 2004. Watch for more details coming in a separate
email from Kelly Piringer later today.
3.
HARTFORD FOUNDATION AWARDS $1.8 MILLION GRANT TO AACN
In
March, The John A. Hartford Foundation of New York awarded
a $1.8 million grant to AACN to extend the “Creating
Careers in Geriatric Advanced Practice Nursing” program.
AACN requested continued funding to develop a larger pool
of geriatric advanced practice nurses (APNs) to serve as
leaders and catalysts for change in the care of the elderly.
The goals of this project are to award scholarship funds
to schools of nursing to expand enrollments of geriatric
APN students and to support students’ development of
leadership abilities. New grant funding will soon be available
to nursing schools, and AACN will issue a Request for Proposals
(RFP) later this week. Three-year awards will be provided
to schools with geriatric advanced practice nursing programs,
including traditional master’s, accelerated RN-MSN,
master’s for non-nursing college graduates, and post-master’s
certificate tracks. Up to $17,000 will be awarded per year
per student to cover one half the tuition and documented
academic fees. Schools will be required to provide matching
funds. Proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. EDT on June
15, 2004. For more information, contact Deirdre Thornlow,
AACN’s Director of Gerontology Projects, at dthornlow@aacn.nche.edu.
4. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS ISSUED FOR
CNL IMPLEMENTATION
On
April 8, 2004, AACN’s Clinical Nurse Leader Implementation
Task Force issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to identify
education-practice partners interested in piloting a demonstration
project. The RFP seeks partners committed to developing
one of three Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) education models
resulting in a master’s degree in nursing; implementing
a care delivery model in one or more practice settings that
allows the full scope of practice of the CNL role; and participating
fully in the evaluation of the models. All AACN member schools
are encouraged to participate. The Implementation Task Force
will oversee the review of the proposals and work to include
as many education/practice partnerships in the pilot project
as feasible. The deadline to submit a proposal is 5:00 p.m.
on May 6, 2004. Review the RFP at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/NewNurse/RFP.htm.
5.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SPRING ANNUAL MEETING POSTED ONLINE
AACN
would like to thank the hundreds of deans and directors
from across the country who joined us in Washington, DC
last month for the Spring Annual Meeting. For those unable
to attend, the committee reports and select presentations
have been posted on the AACN Web site in the Members Only
section at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/MembersOnly/index.asp.
Of particular interest is the update of the CNL initiative
presented by Dr. Kathleen Ann Long from the University of
Florida: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/MembersOnly/Presentations/Spring04Dialogue.pdf,
and the newly updated CNL Frequently Asked Questions sheet:
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/NewNurse/faqs.htm.
To access the Members Only section, you will need to use
your school code. If you need help locating your code, contact
Horacio Oliveira, AACN’s Membership and Education Policy
Assistant, at holiveir@aacn.nche.edu.
NOTE:
AACN is in the process of developing a listserv with the
names of deans from small schools. Those who attended the
small school session at the Spring Annual Meeting will be
included in this database. If you would like to have your
name placed on this list, please contact holiveir@aacn.nche.edu.
This list is strictly for AACN members only.
6.
ADVERTISE VACANCIES ON AACN’S FACULTY CAREERLINK
AACN’s
newly revamped Faculty CareerLink is the Web’s most
comprehensive resource for nurse faculty vacancies and information
on careers in nursing education. In addition to listing
hundreds of faculty vacancies over the past two months,
this section also includes a nurse educator career profile,
lists of academic programs that prepare faculty, financial
aid opportunities for graduate study, and links to faculty
development programs. To highlight this new resource, AACN
members are encouraged to promote CareerLink to your master’s
and doctoral students. AACN has also launched a promotional
campaign to raise awareness of this resource that includes
reaching out to nurse employers and organizations that serve
advanced practice nurses. For more information, visit Faculty
CareerLink at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CareerLink.
To place an ad for May, contact Robert Rosseter at rrosseter@aacn.nche.edu.
7.
APPLY NOW FOR 2004 GERIATRIC NURSING EDUCATION AWARDS
Applications
will be accepted through May 3 for the 2004 Awards for Baccalaureate
Education in Geriatric Nursing, an initiative of The John
A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing in
partnership with AACN. This awards program was created to
recognize model baccalaureate programs with a strong focus
on gerontological nursing. Awards are presented to nursing
programs that exhibit exceptional, substantive, and innovative
baccalaureate curriculum in this subject area. Beyond innovation,
programs must also demonstrate relevance in the clinical
environment and have the ability to be replicated at schools
of nursing across the country. Besides the award for Infusing
Geriatrics into Nursing Curriculum, award categories also
include Geriatric Faculty Member, Stand Alone Geriatric
Course, and Clinical Settings in Geriatric Nursing. For
complete details, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/Hartford/baccaward03.htm.
8.
ELNEC OFFERS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPTIONS
Do
you have undergraduate faculty who need to update their
syllabi with respect to end-of-life care? If so, make plans
to join us for an ELNEC short course offered just prior
to AACN’s November 2004 Baccalaureate Education Conference.
The course will begin at noon on Wednesday, November 10
and conclude at noon the following day. Watch for more details
in future issues of this newsletter or contact AACN’s
ELNEC coordinator Pam Malloy at pmalloy@aacn.nche.edu.
**The deadline is fast approaching for the Pediatric ELNEC
"Train-the-Trainer" course to be held August 12-14,
2004 in Pasadena, CA. Applications can be downloaded at
http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC
and must be submitted by May 1. **An overwhelming number
of applications have been received for the June 2004 ELNEC
course for graduate nursing faculty, and 100 faculty have
been selected to participate. A third course for graduate
nursing faculty will be held in June 2005. Watch for details.
9.
AACN HONORS SENATORS BARBARA MIKULSKI AND SUSAN COLLINS
During
AACN’s Spring Annual Meeting, member deans from Maryland
and Maine honored Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Susan
Collins (R-ME) for their outstanding leadership and dedicated
service on behalf of nursing education. The Maryland and
Maine delegations traveled to Capitol Hill and met with
their respective senators to formally present the awards.
As they have over the last three years, Senators Mikulski
and Collins continue to lead efforts in that chamber to
increase funding for Nursing Workforce Development programs
(Title VIII). Once again, they have begun their FY 2005
advocacy efforts on behalf of the nursing education by circulating
a Dear Colleague letter. Nursing advocates in the House
of Representatives circulated a similar letter. For copies
of both of these letters, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/DearColleagueLetters0404.htm.
10.
NOMINATIONS NEEDED FOR SISTER BERNADETTE ARMIGER AWARD
AACN
invites nominations for the Sister Bernadette Armiger Award,
an honor bestowed biennially upon an individual who has
made outstanding contributions to the association, to nursing
education, and to the advancement of the nursing profession.
Nominees must be active in or have given service to AACN
while serving as a representative of a member institution;
earned national recognition for a significant contribution
to nursing education; and serve as exemplary role models
in nursing. Each nomination must be accompanied by statements
of endorsement by two AACN members. The deadline for nominations
is June 15, 2004. For more details, contact Horacio Oliveira
at 202-463-6930, extension 250.
11.
UCSF SEEKS APPLICATIONS FOR NURSING FACULTY GRANTS
The
University of California-San Francisco School of Nursing
has received a $2.1 million grant from the Gordon and Betty
Moore Foundation to establish the Betty Irene Moore Accelerated
Doctoral Program in Nursing. With the goal of producing
new faculty for Bay Area nursing schools, the program is
an important advance toward alleviating California’s
nursing shortage. Through this program, fellowships of $60,000
per year will be granted for three years to ten graduate
nursing students. This support will allow students to pursue
their studies on a full-time, year-round basis, without
needing to secure employment. Students will be able to complete
their nursing doctorates in only three years, rather than
the national average of eight years. Candidates will be
selected based on their superior academic performance, as
well as an expressed desire to pursue careers in nursing
education in the San Francisco Bay Area for at least three
years following graduation. For details, see http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/flwmoore1.htm.
12.
COMMENTS NEEDED ON DRAFT PRACTICE DOCTORATE POSITION STATEMENT
AACN’s
Task Force on the Professional Clinical Doctorate has prepared
a draft position statement on the practice doctorate which
in posted on the Web at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/MembersOnly/PracticeDoctorateDRAFT.pdf.
We encourage all member institutions to review this document
and submit feedback to Dr. Joan Stanley, AACN’s Director
of Education Policy, at jstanley@aacn.nche.edu.
Please note that this position statement is in draft form,
and neither the AACN Board of Directors, nor the AACN membership
has endorsed this document. Comments must be received by
May 5, 2004.
13.
AACN SUMMER SEMINAR COMING TO SANTA FE, NM
Join
colleagues to discuss the complexities of fiscal management
for nursing education at AACN’s Summer Seminar coming
to the El Dorado Hotel in Santa Fe, NM on July 25-28, 2004.
Focused on the theme “Tight Times, Resourceful Responses:
New Realities in Fiscal Management,” questions to be
addressed include what are the differences and similarities
regarding funding for public and private institutions; what
new sources of state funds might be available for nursing
education and how do we tap into it; what approaches might
academic administrators try in response to decreasing funding
for higher education; and how do we calculate the cost of
nursing education? Discussion will include how to ask various
constituencies for funding support and articulating the
value nursing brings to the larger institution. Numerous
academic leaders will set the context and offer observations
and guidance. Participants will be encouraged to share perspectives,
ideas, concerns, and successful strategies. Watch for more
details to be posted at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Conferences/confsche.htm.
14.
FY 2005 BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
The
FY 2005 budget and appropriations processes continue to
move slowly. On April 20, Congress returned from its Spring
recess and still must negotiate a final budget resolution
that will allocate spending limits for the 13 appropriations
subcommittees. The House and Senate Budget Resolution bills
are less costly than the President’s budget for discretionary
spending by $2 billion in the Senate and $1.6 billion in
the House, making it next to impossible to garner enough
votes for passage in those respective chambers.
Senator
Ted Stevens (R-AK), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations
Committee, has stated that the Senate is unlikely to finish
all 13 must-pass appropriations bills prior to the November
elections. Chairman Stevens and Representative C.W. Bill
Young (R-FL), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee,
have both commented that the shortened congressional schedule
combined with campaign efforts and the political conventions
makes passage of these bills extremely difficult. They agree
that the only appropriations bills likely to pass as “stand
alone” bills prior to the November elections are Defense,
Homeland Security, and Military Construction. Chairman Young
has suggested that a large omnibus appropriations bill would
be the preferred way to finish the appropriations process
because that has been the method Congress has used for the
past three years. However, Chairman Stevens has stated that
the Senate may pass several smaller omnibus bills as opposed
to one large appropriations package. Key Hill staff have
suggested that Congress will return after the November elections
for a “Lame Duck” session to complete the bills.
15.
BOARD ENDORSES NEW POSITION STATEMENT AND CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK
**At
their February Board meeting, the AACN Board endorsed a
new position statement from the National Environmental Education
& Training Foundation (NEETF) on Health Professionals
and Environmental Health Education. This statement addresses
the preparation of health professionals to diagnose, treat
and prevent health conditions related to environmental exposures
in their patients and communities. AACN encourages you to
download this document at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/Posstatewend.pdf.
**At
the Spring Annual Meeting, the AACN Board endorsed the “Clinical
Prevention and Population Health Curriculum Framework”
developed by the Healthy People Curriculum Task Force. The
mission of the interdisciplinary task force is to accomplish
the Healthy People 2010 goal of increasing the extent to
which content in health promotion and disease prevention
is included in health professional education. To that end,
the task force developed a trans-discipline curriculum framework
for clinical prevention and population health. This framework
can be viewed on the task force Web site found at http://www.atpm.org/taskforce/HPC_Taskforce.html
16.
UPDATE ON COVER THE UNINSURED WEEK ACTIVITIES
AACN
is proud to serve as cosponsor of the second annual Cover
the Uninsured Week (CTUW) coming May 10-16, 2004. An initiative
of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, CTUW will feature
national and local activities designed to sensitize the
public and opinion leaders to the plight of more than 44
million Americans who lack health insurance. AACN member
institutions are encouraged to show their support for this
effort by planning on-campus activities or joining efforts
already underway in target markets across the nation. See
http://www.CoverTheUninsuredWeek.org/field
for a list of field offices and contact information. Further,
a variety of free resources, including a Campus Resource
Guide, have been developed to facilitate events and help
raise awareness. See http://covertheuninsuredweek.org/materials.
For general information on how your students and faculty
can get involved, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CovertheUninsuredWeek.htm.
17.
LINK TO THE TOBACCO FREE NURSES INITIATIVE
Tobacco
Free Nurses (TFN) is a national initiative to help nurses
and nursing students stop smoking. This nationwide effort
is focused on providing support for nurses who smoke and
establishing a framework for engaging nurses in tobacco
use prevention and cessation. Funded by The Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation, this collaborative initiative includes
Web-based interventions, a media campaign, grassroots programs,
and training for nurse leaders to become strong advocates
for tobacco control. The TFN Web site provides information
on smoking cessation, smoking research, international links,
and strategies for quitting. AACN encourages members to
link to this site to give students easy access to this important
resource. See http://www.tobaccofreenurses.org.
18.
AACN JOINS NAAHP AS THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM NURSING
AACN
has been asked to join the National Association of Advisors
for the Health Professions (NAAHP) as the representative
from the nursing profession. NAAHP is an organization of
over 900 health professions advisors at colleges and universities
throughout the United States committed to helping advisors
foster the intellectual, personal, and humanistic development
of students as they prepare for careers in the health professions.
AACN will participate in the annual meeting of the NAAHP’s
Advisory Council which will be held just prior to the organization’s
biannual meeting scheduled for June 28-July 2, 2004 in Washington,
DC. For more details on NAAHP or their national meeting,
see http://www.naahp.org.
19.
DEADLINES APPROACH FOR TWO FEDERAL FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
The
federal Division of Nursing provides several funding options
for nursing students interested in studying at the undergraduate
or graduate level. Here are two programs now accepting applications:
**The Nursing Scholarship Program provides scholarships
to nursing school students in exchange for service for a
period of at least two years at a health care facility with
a critical shortage of nurses. Applications may be submitted
through June 1, 2004. The projected award date is July 30.
For details, see http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship/default.htm.
Please direct questions to Bruce Baggett at 301-443-5395
or bbaggett@hrsa.gov.
**The Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) is offered for
individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds who agree to
serve as faculty at eligible health professions schools
for a minimum of two years. In return, the federal government
agrees to pay up to $20,000 of the outstanding principal
and interest on the individual’s education loans for
each year of service. Applications will be available beginning
May 1 and must be submitted by May 28, 2004. The projected
award date is August 28. For more details, see http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/DSA/flrp.
Please direct questions to Lorraine Evans at 301-443-0785
or flrpinfo@hrsa.gov.
20. LONG-TERM CARE LEADER REACHES OUT
TO BSN STUDENTS
Earlier
this month Beverly Enterprises, Inc., a leading provider
of healthcare services to the elderly in the U.S., announced
that it will donate $1 million to the University of Pennsylvania
(Penn) School of Nursing to establish the Penn-Beverly Partnership
Fund. The fund primarily will be used to create a scholarship
program for Penn nursing students. This program will offer
scholarship loans that may be forgiven if the recipients
complete a work commitment after they graduate. "Quality
patient care at our nursing homes requires well-educated,
dedicated nurses who have specialized training in the unique
health care needs of the elderly," said William R.
Floyd, chairman, president and chief executive officer of
Beverly. "The objective of our grant is to stimulate
interest in geriatric nursing and attract qualified clinicians
into long-term care." See http://www.nursing.upenn.edu/news/detail.asp?t=2&id=63.
21.
LARGEST UNION IN UK VOTES FOR DEGREE-BASED NURSING EDUCATION
On
April 2, 2004, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), the largest
nursing union in the world, voted unanimously to move the
nursing profession in the United Kingdom to an “all
graduate” profession. The RCN favors the four-year
nursing degree over the three-year diploma given the complexity
of modern day nursing and the need to keep pace with other
health professionals. RCN Chair of Council, Eirlys Warrington
said, “A highly qualified workforce and strong nurse
leadership are essential to meet the future population’s
healthcare demands. Evidence from Europe indicates that
where countries have transferred to an all graduate profession,
both standards of patient care and recruitment of nursing
has increased. At a time of global shortages of nurses and
current UK nurse vacancies running at 25,000, this proves
a compelling argument for change.” For more details,
see http://www.rcn.org.uk.
22.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS COMMITTEE LAUNCHES GRASSROOTS LIAISON
PROGRAM
In
an effort to strengthen advocacy for nursing education and
research, AACN’s Government Affairs Committee (GAC)
unveiled the State Grassroots Liaison Program this March.
State Liaisons work with AACN staff and the GAC to a) coordinate
AACN member visits to their Senators during the AACN Fall
and Spring annual meetings; b) mentor less experienced Deans/Directors/Chairs
in Capitol Hill visits; c) keep the GAC and AACN staff informed
of state legislative issues related to nursing education
and research; d) advise the GAC on educational needs of
the AACN membership; and e) serve in the role for two years
with the possibility of reappointment. For more information,
contact Gene Throwe at 202-463-6930 Ext. 237 or gthrowe@aacn.nche.edu.
Click here to see the first group of state liaisons: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/GrassrootsLiaisonProgram.htm.
23.
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.
**On
April 14, 2004, U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Elaine
Chao announced the recipients of $13.5 million in High Growth
Job Training grants to help prepare workers for skilled
jobs in the health care industry. The grants are part of
a new $24.3 million Health Care Initiative that Secretary
Chao kicked off last month in Baltimore. Health care is
the first industry for which solutions have been developed
and announced under the President's High Growth Job Training
Initiative. Grant monies will fund a variety of programs,
including nursing initiatives led by Excelsior College (NY),
Florida International University and Johns Hopkins University.
The complete list of grant-funded projects is online at
http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/opa/OPA2004655a.htm.
24.
AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE
**AACN
staff have conducted over 30 budget and appropriations meetings
with key congressional staff about increased funding for
the Nurse Workforce Development (Title VIII) programs and
the National Institutes of Nursing Research (NINR). Staff
will continue to meet with congressional leaders and Hill
staff to ensure these programs are fully funded in FY 2005.
For more information about AACN’s FY 2005 federal funding
priorities, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/index.html.
**On
March 31-April 2, AACN exhibited at the National Student
Nurses Association annual convention in Nashville, TN. Students
from all over the country participated in this event, which
stressed the importance of nursing leadership and professional
development.
**On
March 25, AACN staff attended a congressional briefing on
Nurse-Managed Health Centers (NMHC) sponsored by the National
Nursing Centers Consortium (NNCC) and the Texas Tech University
Health Sciences Center. The purpose of the briefing was
to discuss the need to increase funding for further research
on NMHCs and legislative changes needed so that they may
obtain Community Health Center status. Attendees learned
about the need to increase public and political awareness
of NMHCs efforts to address health care needs and reduce
health disparities. The speakers included AACN Government
Affairs Committee member Dr. Alexia Green from the School
of Nursing at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center,
and Tine Hansen-Turton, Executive Director, NNCC. For more
information on NMHCs, visit http://www.NNCC.us.
**On
March 23, Dr. Mary Mundt, Dean of the School of Nursing
at the University of Louisville, provided public witness
testimony before the House Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. Dr. Mundt’s
testimony supported AACN’s appropriations funding requests
for the Nursing Workforce Development (Title VIII) programs
and the National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR).
Read Dr. Mundt’s testimony at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Government/MaryMundtTestimony.htm.
**On
March 16, AACN staff attended the Research!America annual
meeting which included two panel discussions on the challenges
and opportunities facing the nation's researchers. Among
the panelists were Dr. Elias Zerhouni, Director of the National
Institutes of Health, and Dr. Julie Gerberding, Director
of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At the
meeting, Lee Kravitz, Editor-in-Chief of PARADE magazine
unveiled the cover of the March 21 issue of the magazine
entitled, "They May Save Your Life." The article
featured a story on the importance of research in the United
States. To learn more about Research!America, visit http://www.researchamerica.org.
25.
MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND AWARDS
**The
University of Rochester School of Nursing is moving forward
with a $7.8 million expansion that will create the new Loretta
C. Ford Education Wing and help the school increase student
enrollment by 60 percent. The improvements will include
the addition of a high-tech auditorium, along with the latest
in education innovations: facilities for wireless computing,
distance learning, and laptop docking stations. The accelerated
nursing program, which enables people with bachelor’s
degrees to become nurses in as little as one year, will
double in capacity to 100 students. Groundbreaking will
begin in October 2004. For details, see http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/son/news/story.cfm?id=515.
**Dr.
Loretta Sweet Jemmott, professor at the University of Pennsylvania
(Penn) School of Nursing, was named Assistant Provost at
Penn, effective May 1. Dr. Jemmott will have primary responsibility
for faculty gender and minority equity issues. "I'm
absolutely thrilled that one of our nursing faculty members
will be part of the university team that focuses on minority
and gender equity," said Dean of the School of Nursing
Dr. Afaf Meleis. "Her longstanding interest in equity
will help in our increasing focus on diversity issues at
Penn."
**Dr.
Heather Becker, professor at the University of Texas at
Austin School of Nursing, was awarded a $150,000 grant from
the National Institute of Nursing Research to study hormone
therapy decision in women with disabilities, including multiple
sclerosis, spinal cord injuries, post-polio conditions and
cerebral palsy. The aim of the study is to test a decision
aid designed to assist menopausal women with mobility impairments
in making informed choices about hormone therapy use. For
more details, see http://www.utexas.edu/nursing/html/fac_research.html#becker.
26.
OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES TO CONSIDER
**The
Program for the Study of Health Care Relationships (HCR),
a partnership between Yale and the University of Connecticut
Schools of Nursing, has launched a Web site to make new
resources available to patients, health care professionals,
providers, health policymakers, and others interested in
quality of care in Connecticut and around the country. With
the support of the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue
Medical Research Foundation, this new Web site features
an extensive program citation database and study findings
by 11 Connecticut researchers who examined various aspects
of health care relationships and adherence. See http://www.nursing.yale.edu/hcr.
**The
Bernard Hodes Group and CampusRN have completed an online
survey of 1,380 undergraduate nursing students to gain insight
into the characteristics of the future health care workforce
currently enrolled in college nursing programs. Results
cover the following categories: student demographics and
program enrollment, considerations in choosing a career
in health care, selection factors in targeting potential
institutions for employment, effective recruiting tactics
to reach this target audience, and employment selection
factors. Respondents still rated highest their desire to
help people as the reason for choosing a health care career,
followed by fulfilling a lifelong ambition and the attraction
to working in a stable industry with growth potential. Salary
ranked in the middle of the range. Respondents cited the
amount of work and difficulty involved in pursuing a nursing
career as the biggest change in their perceptions of a health
care career. For more details, see http://www.hodes.com/hcrecruiting.
**The
National Institute of Nursing Research in collaboration
with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and
the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing is sponsoring
a three-day workshop on Integrating Cost-Effectiveness Analysis
in Research on August 4-6, 2004 at Natcher Auditorium on
the NIH campus. This cutting-edge research training program
provides a hands-on opportunity for nurse researchers and
other health professionals who are conducting health intervention
research to gain knowledge and skills in analysis of cost-effectiveness.
The workshop is open to doctorally prepared investigators
whose programs of research focus on health interventions
and who are interested in developing skills in analysis
of cost-effectiveness. See http://www.ijhn.jhmi.edu/CostEffectivenessAnalysis/default.htm.
**The
Department of Health and Human Services is sponsoring the
second National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII)
conference, to be held July 20-23, 2004 in Washington, D.C.
at the Washington Convention Center. This year’s conference,
“NHII 04: Cornerstones for Electronic Healthcare,”
will convene essential healthcare stakeholders to develop
a consensus national action plan for moving NHII forward.
For more details or to register, visit http://www.hsrnet.net/nhii.
**Nursing
school deans, faculty and students are invited to attend
the second Florence Nightingale Commemorative Service on
Sunday, May 9, 2004 at 4 p.m., at the Washington National
Cathedral in Washington, DC. This special event will honor
the founder of modern nursing and practicing nurses as they
continue Nightingale's mission of caring and healing. As
part of the service, representatives from leading nursing
organizations, including AACN, will join with nursing students
in a candlelight ceremony that represents the passing of
knowledge from one nurse to another, from one generation
to the next. For details or to RSVP, contact Dr. Barbara
Dossey at barbara@dosseydossey.com.
