December 2008 News Watch 1. AACN Releases Preliminary Data from 2008 Annual Survey 2. Annual Doctoral Conference Returns to San Diego in January 3. Share Your Insights on Interprofessional Professionalism 4. NCIN Scholarship Program Issues Second Call for Proposals 5. Second CNL Partnership Conference Coming to New Orleans 6. CCNE Calls for Comments on Accreditation Standards 7. Nominations Sought for CCNE Board and Nominating Committee 8. AACN's 2009 Board Election Commences in January 9. Join Us at the Master's Education Conference in Orlando 10. Dr. Linda Aiken Named Ambassador for Global Health Research 11. CNL Certification Eligibility Waiver Continued for Faculty 12. AACN Seeks Two Program Directors to Fill New Roles 13. Academy Releases New "Raise the Voice" Video 14. Faculty Development Conference Slated for Savannah 15. ELNEC Project Announces 2009 Training Dates 16. Faculty Training to Enhance Gerontology in BSN Courses 17. Apply Now for Sigma's Practice/Academe Collaboration Award 18. New Partnerships and Grant-Funded Initiatives 19. Member News, Announcements and Awards 20. AACN Outreach and Advocacy Update 21. Opportunities and Resources to Consider   1. AACN RELEASES PRELIMINARY DATA FROM 2008 ANNUAL SURVEY On December 3, AACN released preliminary data from its 2008 Annual Survey showing that enrollment in entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs increased by only 2% since 2007. Though this marks the eighth consecutive year of enrollment growth, the annual increase in student capacity in four-year nursing programs has declined sharply since 2003 when enrollment was up by 16.6%. Adding to this sobering news is the fact that enrollment growth in master's nursing programs has also decreased, and the number of students entering research-focused doctorates appears to be flat based on early reporting. In addition, the preliminary data also show that 27,771 qualified applications were turned away from entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs based on responses from 406 institutions. For more details, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Media/NewsReleases/2008/EnrlGrowth.html. 2. ANNUAL DOCTORAL CONFERENCE RETURNS TO SAN DIEGO IN JANUARY The Doctoral Education Conference will be held January 21-24, 2009 at the beautiful Hotel del Coronado in San Diego. The conference theme is "Health Systems Transformation and Doctoral Education in Nursing: A New Era", and offers a forum in which to discuss the many ways doctorally educated nurses impact the health system. The conference boasts high caliber speakers, thought-provoking topics, and interesting breakout sessions for those active in both research and practice doctoral programs. From opening speaker Dr. Mary Wakefield (Health Policy and Doctoral Education in Nursing) to closing speaker Dr. George Walker (The Challenge of Preparing Scholars), the conference hosts sessions of wide interest to doctoral educators. Full conference and registration details can be viewed at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/conferences/09doc.htm. 3. SHARE YOUR INSIGHTS ON INTERPROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONALISM Among the many highlights of the Doctoral Conference will be a panel presentation on Collaborative Interprofessional Professionalism for Doctoral Education. AACN has been working with many of our colleague organizations from medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and the other health professions to develop a common set of standards to assess and measure professionalism for the purpose of admissions, student preparation, and clinical practice. Presenters will address the background, purpose, and rationale for the current national initiative and stimulate discussion about professionalism within the discipline of nursing. Prior to this session, presenters are seeking your insights on interprofessional professionalism behaviors through an online survey. AACN is encouraging all members - even those not attending the Doctoral Conference - to complete this survey which is found online at http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/449dg303a5. Please share your insights and expertise on this important effort. For more details, contact Program Director Kathy McGuinn at kmcguinn@aacn.nche.edu. 4. NCIN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM ISSUES SECOND CALL FOR PROPOSALS In November, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and AACN issued the second Call for Proposals (CFP) to nursing schools seeking funding through the RWJF New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program. This groundbreaking program is designed to alleviate the nursing shortage by dramatically expanding the pipeline of students in accelerated nursing programs. Scholarships in the amount of $10,000 each will be awarded to at least 500 entry-level nursing students during the second round of funding. Preference will be given to students from groups underrepresented in nursing or from a disadvantaged background. AACN serves as the National Program Office for the NCIN initiative and will oversee the grant application submission and review processes. The proposal deadline is January 21, 2009. An online Web conference for prospective applicants is scheduled for January 5, 2009. Review the CFP online at http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20621. 5. SECOND CNL® PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE COMING TO NEW ORLEANS Building on the success of last year's event, AACN is hosting the second CNL Partnership Conference on January 29-31, 2009 in New Orleans. All deans, faculty, healthcare executives, chief nursing officers, practicing CNLs, and students engaged in or interested in the CNL are invited. Jointly sponsored by AACN and the Veteran's Health Administration Office of Nursing Services, the focus of the conference will be on the impact of the CNL on quality and safety at the microsystem level. In addition to plenary sessions, concurrent, abstract, and poster presentations will be featured. Special forums will be held for CNL students and graduates, CNL faculty, and nursing/healthcare executives. See http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNL/09cnlsummit.htm. 6. CCNE CALLS FOR COMMENTS OM ACCREDITATION STANDARDS The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) invites comments on its Proposed Standards for Accreditation of Baccalaureate and Graduate Degree Nursing Programs, amended April 2008. An open invitation to provide input is extended to all interested parties, including university and program administrators; faculty; practitioners; representatives of regulatory, certification, accreditation, state, and federal agencies; students; alumni; employers of nurses; and others with an interest in the preparation of competent nurses. The current revision of the standards is being undertaken to reflect the newly revised The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice and to conform to the accreditation provisions of the Higher Education Opportunity Act, which was enacted in August 2008. The Proposed Standards document is available for review online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Accreditation/pdf/ProposedStandards.pdf. The changes that are being proposed are tracked in the document for your convenience. Comments must be received at the CCNE offices by January 23, 2009. For complete details on how to submit comments, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Accreditation/call.htm. 7. NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR CCNE BOARD AND NOMINATING COMMITTEE CCNE is currently seeking nominations for the CCNE Board of Commissioners and Nominating Committee. The following positions on the 13-member Board are open for election: one representative of chief nurse administrators (e.g., deans or equivalent) of CCNE-accredited nursing programs; two representatives of the faculties of CCNE-accredited nursing programs; one representative who is actively engaged, as his or her primary professional role, in the practice of nursing; one professional consumer who serves in a leadership position in a health care delivery system that employs professional nurses (individuals who have experience with a post-baccalaureate nurse residency program are encouraged to apply); and one public consumer who is not a nurse, who represents the general public, and who has knowledge of health care and higher education systems. Each Board position is for a three-year term of service. The Commission is also seeking nominations for candidates to serve as members on its Nominating Committee. Four positions are available, and the members are eligible to serve a one-year term. Nominations must be postmarked by February 20, 2009. To obtain the nominations packet, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/accreditation. 8. AACN'S 2009 BOARD ELECTION COMMENCES IN JANUARY Online balloting for AACN's 2009 Election to fill seats on the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee will commence in early January 2009. All AACN member deans and directors are encouraged to cast votes. The slate of candidates vying for open seats includes: Treasurer: Janet Allan, University of Maryland; and Greer Glazer, University of Massachusetts-Boston Board Member-at-Large: Connie Delaney, University of Minnesota; Donna Hathaway, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center; Peggy Hewlett, University of South Carolina; Patricia Kraft, Carson-Newman College; Jean Leuner, University of Central Florida; Teri Murray, Saint Louis University; Heidi Taylor, West Texas A&M University; and Mary Walker, Loyola University Chicago Nominating Committee: Terese Burch, Saint Anthony College of Nursing; Susan Fetch, Avila University; Loucine Huckabay, California State University Long Beach; Carolina Huerta, University of Texas Pan American. AACN members will receive more details on voting within the next two weeks. 9. JOIN US AT THE MASTER'S EDUCATION CONFERENCE IN ORLANDO The 2009 Master's Education Conference will be held February 19-21, 2009 at the Buena Vista Palace in Orlando, Florida with the theme Change and Challenges: Master's Education in Nursing. Program, breakout, poster, and abstract sessions allow participants to meet a variety of professional needs and pursue personal areas of interest. Plenary topics include a national overview of graduate education; moving graduate nursing education into the future; the art of changing the brain; and skills for dealing with change in the academy. Concurrent sessions include debriefing in simulation, CCNE accreditation issues, teaching genetics and genomics, understanding the APRN Consensus Model, and using clinical preceptors at remote sites. Faculty and academic administrators alike are encouraged to join colleagues to address issues unique to master's education in nursing. Bring a team of faculty, family, and friends to this beautiful location and enjoy February in Orlando. The brochure will be mailed shortly. For more information, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/conferences/09Masters.htm. 10. DR. LINDA AIKEN NAMED AMBASSADOR FOR GLOBAL HEALTH RESEARCH University of Pennsylvania professor Dr. Linda Aiken has been named an Ambassador for Global Health Research in the Paul G. Rogers Society of Research!America. Nominated by AACN, Dr. Aiken was selected for this honor from among the nation's best global health research leaders. As an Ambassador, she will conduct public outreach and advocacy for global health research through Research!America. She will meet with leaders and decision-makers and promote nursing research to non-scientific audiences through her presentations and dialogues, and she will be involved with several community-level activities to engage the public. Dr. Aiken's global commitment to quality care through health outcomes research makes her an ideal candidate for this role and recipient of this major honor. She is the second Ambassador for Global Health Research from Penn Nursing. Marjorie Muecke, the assistant dean for Global Health Affairs, was selected as an Ambassador last year. Dr. Aiken is the Claire M. Fagin Leadership Professor in Nursing, a Professor of Sociology, and the Director of the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the School of Nursing. 11. CNL CERTIFICATION ELIGIBILITY WAIVER CONTINUED FOR FACULTY The Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce that faculty teaching in existing Clinical Nurse Leader rograms may continue to apply for CNL certification through December 31, 2012. CNL faculty who meet the following criteria are eligible to sit for the CNL Certification Examination: Teach in an existing CNL education program; hold RN licensure; and hold a graduate degree in nursing or a related healthcare discipline (such as healthcare administration or public health) from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. CNL faculty need only submit three forms along with payment to apply: CNL Certification Examination Application, CNL Standards of Conduct, and the CNL Eligibility Documentation Form. For more information, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNC, or contact CNC Director Tracy Lofty at tlofty@aacn.nche.edu. 12. AACN SEEKS TWO PROGRAM DIRECTORS TO FILL NEW ROLES AACN is currently seeking to fill two new director-level positions at the association's headquarters in Washington, DC: A Project Director is needed to manage a three-year, grant-funded program focused on quality and safety education for nursing. This staff person will be responsible for all grant-related activities, including working with a steering committee to develop resource material to be used to train nurse faculty at 8 regional meetings. An advanced degree in nursing is preferred plus 5-7 years professional experience in higher education or program management required. AACN seeks a Director of Faculty Programs to develop and manage program initiatives for faculty constituents. Responsibilities include developing regional and online faculty development conferences and managing efforts to increase faculty participation in association programs. An advanced degree plus 5-7 years professional experience in higher education or program management required. Interested applicants are encouraged to send their resume/CV and cover letter to Deputy Director Jennifer Ahearn at jahearn@aacn.nche.edu. 13. ACADEMY RELEASES NEW "RAISE THE VOICE" VIDEO Through its Raise the Voice campaign, the American Academy of Nursing is mobilizing its 1,500 Fellows, partner organizations and health leaders to ensure that Americans understand that nurses are leading the way when it comes to transforming the healthcare system. Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the Academy is scaling up activities to provide a platform to inform policymakers, the media, health providers and consumers about nurse-driven solutions for an ailing health care. As part of Raise the Voice, the Academy is showcasing stories of nurse "Edge Runners" - the practical innovators who have led the way in bringing new thinking and new methods to a wide range of healthcare challenges. The Academy has just released a new video that highlights two Edge Runners: Donna Shalala, the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, RWJF President. See http://www.youtube.com/user/AANRaisetheVoice. 14. FACULTY DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE SLATED FOR SAVANNAH AACN will host the third annual Faculty Development Conference February 12-14, 2009 at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront in Savannah, GA. Designed for early-career nurse educators, the conference is aimed at those new to the faculty role and those who would like to gain more self-confidence in teaching in baccalaureate and higher degree programs. Sessions explore the academic environment, teaching strategies, clinical teaching, evaluation, and being successful in an academic career. Concurrent sessions encourage participants to select topics according to their own needs and interests. Several particularly popular topics are repeated from last year, and new topics are added, allowing both new and returning participants to pursue personally relevant topics. For more information, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Conferences/confsche.htm. 15. ELNEC PROJECTS ANNOUNCES 2009 TRAINING DATES Ten national ELNEC train-the-trainer courses will be held in 2009 in nine different cities across the US. Nursing faculty are invited to attend one of the four sub-specialty courses: Core, Pediatric Palliative Care, Critical Care, and Geriatric. For California nurses, there are two courses that will be fully grant funded, providing free registration (Critical Care and Geriatric). For more information and/or to register for any of these courses, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC. 16. FACULTY TRAINING TO ENHANCE GERONTOLOGY IN BSN COURSES In recognition of the need for faculty development in geriatrics, AACN invites faculty to attend one of the upcoming Geriatric Nursing Education Consortium (GNEC) institutes. GNEC is an innovative national initiative to enhance geriatric content in senior-level baccalaureate courses. GNEC focuses on faculty development as a necessary precursor to successfully implementing and sustaining enhancements in nursing education programs. This institute provides nursing educators with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to ensure that the best geriatric practices are imbedded in baccalaureate curricula and subsequently in the clinical care provided by newly educated nurses. Using a train-the-trainer approach, nursing faculty are prepared to lead their colleagues in "gerontologizing" senior-level curricula as well as teaching and mentoring students in the care of older adults. Two upcoming institutes are scheduled: April 1-3, 2009, in San Diego and June 24-26, 2009, in Philadelphia. There is no registration fee or tuition for these institutes. Up to two applicants per baccalaureate school of nursing are eligible for a stipend to help defer travel expenses. For more details, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/gnec.htm. 17. APPLY NOW FOR SIGMA'S PRACTICE/ACADEME COLLABORATION AWARD Given that healthcare systems and schools of nursing have a stake in each other's success, the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) has issued a Call for Entries for the new Practice/Academe Innovative Collaboration Award that will recognize an institution or group of institutions. A successful submission will demonstrate how the collaboration optimized the way nursing practice and academe worked together to accomplish the honor society's vision of creating a global community of nurses who lead in using knowledge, scholarship, service and learning to improve the health of the world's people. In addition, collaborations should advance the profession and the discipline of nursing within their respective community/communities resulting in improved patient care outcomes. Award entries must be submitted via STTI's online submission system by March 5, 2009. Instructions and award criteria are available at http://www.nursingsociety.org/awards under "International Awards". 18. 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. The Duke University School of Nursing has received $100,000 in funding from The Duke Endowment to support The Campaign for Difference in Nursing initiative. This award will be used to create a nursing workforce for North Carolina that matches the population of those needing health care. This initiative will be advanced by the School of Nursing's Office of Global and Community Health Initiatives, which works eliminate health disparities locally and nationally. Through this campaign, the nursing school will establish a recruitment network for groups under-represented in nursing to assist them in exploring opportunities in the profession. Beginning this summer, the Campaign will also sponsor eight undergraduate students for a six-week on-campus summer internship program designed expose students to patient care and scientific activities in nursing. See http://nursing.duke.edu. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing has partnered with the Midland Memorial Foundation and Midland Memorial Hospital to establish the Advancing Clinical Excellence project aimed at furthering the education of nurses. The Midland Memorial Foundation and Midland Memorial Hospital have committed $720,000 to be distributed over three years among 90 Midland Memorial nurses pursuing their Bachelor of Science degrees in nursing, and 30 pursuing their Master of Science in Nursing degrees. See http://www.ttuhsc.edu/son. 19. MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND AWARDS The Nursing Department at Misericordia University in Dallas, PA recently received an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to expand its on-campus nursing learning resource laboratory. This grant was facilitated by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Misericordia University will match the $27,752 grant to improve equipment, technology, and training so the institution can continue to provide quality instruction to students while also addressing the critical nursing shortage in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The university is positioning itself to respond to the need for additional nurses by improving its nursing resource laboratory and equipping it with state-of-the-art technology. See http://www.misericordia.edu/academics. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded two three-year grants totaling $2.1 million to the Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation. The first grant is for the KySS Fellowship for NPs in Underserved U.S.: Improving Child & Teen Mental Health. Dean Bernadette Melnyk is Principal Investigator/Project Director, and Ann Guthery is co-project director. The grant funds the development and implementation of a KySS (Keep your children/yourself Safe and Secure) Fellowship Program aimed at preparing primary care pediatric and family nurse practitioners as well as physicians and allied health professionals to accurately screen for, identify, and deliver early evidence-based interventions for children and adolescents experiencing common mental health problems. The fellowship program is the first of its kind in the United States. The second HRSA grant is titled Leveraging Educational Technology for Evidence-Based Practice (LET-EBP) and will focus on improving the quality and delivery of nursing education through expanding use of educational technology for pre-licensure students. For more details, see http://nursing.asu.edu. 20. AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE On December 16, staff attended the Coalition for Health Funding's (CHF) annual meeting. The meeting focused on public health matters and included a briefing on pending health reform for the 111th Congress from the Senate Finance and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) staffs. This was followed by a briefing from the Study Group on Public Health with staff members from Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Kay Granger (R-TX) offices. On December 8, staff attended a dialogue sponsored by the Center to Champion Nursing in America, a joint project of AARP, the AARP Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Health Affairs. The roundtable, titled Why Solving America's Nursing Shortage is Critical to Health Care Reform, was moderated by Susan Dentzer, Editor-in-Chief of Health Affairs, and was attended by nursing leaders such as Drs. Linda Aiken and Peter Buerhaus. Key Congressional staff from the offices of Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Edward Kennedy (D-MA), Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Max Baucus (D-MT) were present to share their perspectives on nursing and health reform. On December 3, staff attended The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's Measuring Up 2008: The National Report Card on Higher Education briefing at the National Press Club. The distinguished panel reported, by state, on the five areas of higher education tracked by the report: preparation for college, participation, affordability, completion, benefits, and learning. The group found that generally the US is making much slower strides in improving preparation for and access to higher education than other countries, and that the deterioration of college affordability is cause for concern. In AACN's efforts to participate in the current health reform dialogue, staff attended a briefing sponsored by Quinn and Gillespie December 2 with Liz Fowler from Sen. Max Baucus' (D-MT) staff. Ms. Fowler highlighted many aspects of the Senate Finance Committee's plans for health reform, and welcomed stakeholders to contribute as the process continues. AACN is continuing to lead a nursing community task force to draft a consensus document that highlights principles and suggested policy solutions nurses believe are necessary for meaningful reform. 21. OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES TO CONSIDER The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) seeks qualified applicants for a ten-week summer program in Environmental Public Health at the National Center for Environmental Health /Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR) in Atlanta. Open to nursing students, this full-time summer opportunity was developed for rising collegiate juniors and seniors seeking real-world experience in Environmental Public Health activities at the federal level. Students will participate in individual projects and will be paired with mentors in order to gain valuable experience. For complete details, see http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/cleh. The application deadline is February 18, 2009. Supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies, the Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program provides participants with the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans. The program offers two different tracks: (1) a residential track that includes a nine-to-12-month placement in Washington, DC; and (2) a non-residential track that includes a health policy project and brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites. Core program components focused on career development and professional enrichment are provided for fellows in both tracks. The program is open to nurses, physicians, and social workers at all career stages. The application deadline is April 15, 2009. For further information, see http://www.healthandagingpolicy.org. Sponsored by the Center for Health Policy Research and Ethics at George Mason University, the 17th Annual Washington Health Policy Institute is scheduled for June 1-5, 2009 in Arlington, VA. This institute explores all facets of the health policymaking process and provides participants with the knowledge needed to make a difference in the U.S. health system. For more details, see http://hpi.gmu.edu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and AcademyHealth are seeking applications for their 2009 Health Policy Fellowship. The fellowship allows visiting scholars to conduct new and innovative analyses and participate in developmental and health policy activities related to the design and content of future NCHS surveys. Applicants may be at any stage in their careers-from doctoral students in the dissertation phase of their programs to senior investigators. The application deadline is January 5, 2009. See http://academyhealth.org/nchs/program.htm. The DAISY Foundation is awarding new funding to nurses seeking to improve treatment of patients with auto-immune diseases and cancer. Applications are now being accepted for the J. Patrick Barnes Research Grant, which funds nursing research and evidence-based practice projects. Two types of grants will be awarded: $5,000 grants for projects that can be completed within two years and $1,000 grants for projects completed within 12 months. This program supports RNs nurses who continually evaluate their practice, seek answers to clinical questions in an effort to improve their practice, and change their practice based on evidence and evaluation of that change. Deadline to apply is March 1, 2009. See http://www.DAISYfoundation.org. If you would like to have your email removed from the distribution list, send an email to lguetter@aacn.nche.edu with the subject “UNSUBSCRIBE NEWS WATCH”. 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