January 2009 News Watch 1. AACN Remembers Two Nurse Faculty from the University of Wyoming 2. Cast Your Votes Now in the 2009 AACN Board Election 3. Faculty Development Conference Slated for Savannah 4. Join Us at the Master’s Education Conference in Orlando 5. Call for Nominations Issued for the 2009 Innovations Awards 6. American Holistic Nurses Association to Honor AACN 7. Gannett Endows Annual AACN Guest Lectureship Award 8. New AACN Member Benefit: Discounted Student Immunization Tracker 9. Faculty Training to Enhance Gerontology in BSN Courses 10. Nominations Sought for CCNE Board and Nominating Committee 11. CNC Announces CNL Recertification Program 12. Highlights from the Journal of Professional Nursing 13. Mastering the Teaching Role Recognized by AJN 14. Nursing Advancement Professionals Host Annual Meeting 15. ELNEC Project Announces 2009 Training Dates 16. Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Program Seeks Applications 17. New Report on the Economic Value of Nurses Released 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 REMEMBERS TWO NURSE FACULTY FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING Nurse educators nationwide are mourning the loss of two faculty members from the University of Wyoming (UW) School of Nursing - Dr. Carol Macnee and Dr. Susan McCabe – who were both tragically killed in a car accident on December 18, 2008. “We are stunned and saddened by the deaths of Drs. Macnee and McCabe,” said UW dean Mary E. Burman. “They both had a significant impact on the school and the profession of nursing.” Read more about these faculty members and the Memorial Fund created in their name in the latest issue of AACN’s newsletter Syllabus which may be accessed online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/Syllabus/2009/JanFeb09.pdf. 2. CAST YOUR VOTES NOW IN THE 2009 AACN BOARD ELECTION  Online balloting ends January 30 for the 2009 AACN Election to fill seats on the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee. Deans/Directors of AACN member institutions are encouraged to cast votes for the following positions:  Treasurer - Vote for one person Board Member-at-Large - Vote for four people Nominating Committee - Vote for two people To cast your votes, click the following link or cut and paste this link into your Web browser: http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Bd09Ballot.htm. Voting is confidential, and only one ballot will be counted per AACN member institution. Please contact AACN Deputy Director Jennifer Ahearn at jahearn@aacn.nche.edu if you have any questions.    3. 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. 4. 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, FL 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.  For more information, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/conferences/09Masters.htm. 5. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS ISSUED FOR 2009 INNOVATIONS AWARDS The AACN Board of Directors created the Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award to showcase creative and successful efforts to advance nursing education. This award recognizes the work of AACN member schools to re-envision traditional models for nursing education and lead programmatic change. Innovation awards, including a monetary prize of $1,000, will be given in four institutional categories: Small Schools, Academic Health Center (AHC), Private School without an AHC and Public School without an AHC. Nominations may be made by submitting a letter to Dr. Mary Walker, chair of the AACN Membership Committee. The submission deadline is February 18, 2009. For complete details including award criteria and the nomination process, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Faculty/InnovationsAward.pdf. 6. AMERICAN HOLISTIC NURSES ASSOCIATION TO HONOR AACN The American Holistic Nurses Association (AHNA) voted to give AACN an award for recognizing the importance of holistic care in the new Baccalaureate Essentials document that was endorsed by the membership in October 2008.  The award will be presented to an AACN representative at AHNA’s annual meeting this June in Madison, WI. AACN is delighted to accept this award on behalf of our members and stakeholders who provided input during the consensus-building process used to produce the new Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice. To download this document, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/pdf/BaccEssentials08.pdf. 7. GANNETT ENDOWS ANNUAL AACN GUEST LECTURESHIP AWARD AACN is pleased to announce that the Gannett Foundation and the Gannett Healthcare Group have provided new funding to AACN to continue our guest lectureship series at AACN’s annual Spring Meeting. This generous funding has been used to support presentations by some of the nation’s top leaders in healthcare, including former CDC Director Julie Gerberding, Hartford Foundation Director Corinne Rieder, and PBS Health Correspondent Susan Dentzer. This March, AACN is delighted to present Dr. Betty Ferrell, research scientist at the City of Hope in Duarte, CA and principal investigator of the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium project, with the Nursing Spectrum/Gannett Foundation Lectureship Award. For complete details on the Spring meeting, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Conferences/09spring.htm. 8. NEW AACN MEMBER BENEFIT: DISCOUNTED STUDENT IMMUNICATION TRACKER CertifiedBackground.com, AACN’s partner provider of criminal background check services, is pleased to announce its newest service, the Student Immunization Tracker. As an AACN member, you have the opportunity to sign up and receive a 35% discount. Student Immunization Tracker is a secure web-based document management system that makes managing student immunization records simple. Students conveniently upload, mail, or fax their immunization records. Records are securely stored online where both you and the student can view them. As with all CertifiedBackground.com services, two payment plans are offered: student and school funded. The student funded plan charges the student directly, making the service absolutely free for your school. All participating schools will receive a 35% discount, which translates into a fee of $10 per student versus the regular rate of $15 per student. Student Immunization Tracker was designed to be fully compliant with all federal laws including HIPAA and FERPA. Procedures for gathering, maintaining, and storing student immunization records follow strict guidelines that protect the rights, security, and confidentiality of your students. For more information, contact a CertifiedBackground.com representative at 888-666-7788, ext. 2 or see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/MemberServices/pdf/FaxBackForm.pdf. 9. 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. 10. 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. 11. CNC ANNOUNCES CNL RECERTIFICATION PROGRAM AACN’s Commission on Nurse Certification (CNC) is pleased to announce the new Clinical Nurse LeaderSM (CNL) Recertification Program. CNL certification is granted for a period of five years and must be renewed prior to the expiration date to maintain an active status. Recertification assures the public that the nationally certified CNL has maintained current and relevant knowledge of the CNL role. For the CNL recertification application, the application must hold CNL certification, an unencumbered RN license; a minimum of 4,000 hours over the past five years in areas of advanced generalist clinical practice, nursing administration, nursing education, research and/or consultation; a minimum of 75 contact hours relevant to the CNL or an advanced generalist nursing role (25 hours must focus on quality and safety), a summary of how the end-of-program competencies and/or elements of the role outlined in AACN’s white paper on The Education and Role of the Clinical Nurse Leader have been elements of ongoing practice, and documentation of CE credits. To access the CNL recertification application and guidelines, visit http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CNC, or contact Tracy Lofty, CNC Director, at tlofty@aacn.nche.edu.                               12. HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JOURNAL OF PROFESSIONAL NURSING The Journal of Profession Nursing (JPN), AACN’s scholarly journal, presents observations by nursing leaders on the diverse roles of baccalaureate- and graduate-prepared nurses, as well as insightful columns on clinical, legislative, regulatory, ethical, and other concerns of vital interest to nursing educators, researchers, and practitioners. Each month, AACN will spotlight a JPN article in AACN News Watch to bring attention to emerging research and scholarship from nursing top academic leaders.  In the November/December 2008 issue of JPN, Pamela Malloy, Judith Pace and colleagues describe the robust impact of the ELNEC project in their article titled End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium: 5 Years of Educating Graduate Nursing Faculty in Excellent Palliative Care. See http://www.professionalnursing.org/article/S8755-7223(08)00094-X/abstract. In the January/February 2009 issue which has just been released, Carol Brewer, Christine Kovner and colleagues study the differences between graduates of traditional and accelerated entry-level nursing programs in an article titled A Comparison of Second-Degree Baccalaureate and Traditional-Baccalaureate New Graduate RNs: Implications for the Workforce.  See http://www.professionalnursing.org/article/S8755-7223(07)00290-6/abstract. For more details about JPN, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Publications/jpn.htm. 13. MASTERING THE TEACHING ROLE RECOGNIZED BY AJN AACN is pleased to announce that the book Mastering the Teaching Role: A Guide for Nurse Educators by Dr. Barbara Penn, AACN’s Director of Member Education, has been selected by the American Journal of Nursing (AJN) as a Book of the Year in the category of Professional Development. With individual chapters written by dozens of member deans and faculty, the AJN panel of judges describes this book as follows: “This book is a wonderful resource for nurse educators, whether novice or experienced, providing readily usable information on a wide array of nursing education topics. A section on flourishing in the faculty role is particularly interesting and addresses new educator, deanship issues, and maintaining enthusiasm in the role.” To purchase copies, contact 800-323-3555 and be sure to mention that you are an AACN member to receive the discount. Also see http://www.fadavis.com/prof_aisle/profdetail.cfm?catid=74. 14. NURSING ADVANCEMENT PROFESSIONALS HOST ANNUAL MEETING Coming to Washington, DC on March 13-14, 2009, the annual Nursing Advancement Professionals (NAP) meeting provides an opportunity for your advancement, development, marketing and communications, public relations, and alumni affairs professionals to build upon your school’s success. Attendees of the NAP conference will discover creative ideas, valuable tips, and proven strategies that bring results. Learn how to shift development strategies in this difficult economic climate and meet leaders in the field who can be tapped for their expertise.  For complete details, see http://www.aacn.nche.edu/Conferences/09nap.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. Rose Virani, RNC, BSN, MHA, OCN®, senior research specialist at City of Hope, has been named the 2009 recipient of the Oncology Nursing Society Pearl Moore Making a Difference Award. The award recognizes her significant contributions to the oncology nursing profession at the local and regional levels. Rose has been a close collaborator with AACN on the ELNEC project, and we congratulate her on receiving this high honor! 16. FEDERAL NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM SEEKS APPLICATIONS Administered by the federal Division of Nursing, the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) provides funds to eligible schools of nursing that offer advanced education nursing programs to prepare graduates to serve as faculty in a school of nursing.  Schools use these funds to establish distinct NFLP fund accounts or add to existing NFLP fund accounts. The NFLP fund must provide for loans made to students enrolled (full-time and part-time) in an eligible advanced degree program in nursing (master's or doctoral) at the school.  Loan recipients must complete the education program and, following graduation, may cancel up to 85% of the NFLP loan over a consecutive 4-year period while serving as full-time nurse faculty at a school of nursing (i.e., baccalaureate or higher degree, associate degree or diploma schools of nursing). Application materials for announcement HRSA-09-118 may be downloaded from the web site at: https://grants.hrsa.gov/webExternal/DisplayAttachment.asp?ID=A675F49F-4F99-47DB-B3D8-3E96F8D418. The application submission must be post-marked by February 13, 2009, 8pm EST. 17. NEW REPORT ON THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF NURSES RELEASED In late December, the American Nurses Association (ANA), on behalf of the larger nursing community, announced the release of a first of its kind study quantifying the economic value of nursing. The research, first proposed in 2003 and published in the January 2009 issue of the journal Medical Care, is the result of years of analysis of data on the correlation between patient outcomes and nurse staffing levels. Estimates from this study suggest that adding 133,000 RNs to the acute care hospital workforce would save 5,900 lives per year. The productivity value of total deaths averted is equivalent to more than $1.3 billion per year, or about $9,900 per additional RN per year. The additional nurse staffing would decrease hospital days by 3.6 million. More rapid recovery translates into increased national productivity, conservatively estimated at $231 million per year. Medical savings is estimated at $6.1 billion, or $46,000 per additional RN per year. Combining medical savings with increased productivity, the partial estimates of economic value averages $57,700 for each of the additional 133,000 RNs. This project was the culmination of years of research and collaboration between the ANA, AACN, the Oncology Nursing Society, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, and 85 other nursing organizations who contributed to the project. To read the complete article at no charge, visit http://www.lww-medicalcare.com 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 University of Maryland School of Nursing has received a pledge of $1 million from Mary Catherine Bunting, a 1972 MSN graduate, to establish the Mary Catherine Bunting Scholarship for Maryland residents enrolled in the School’s Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) program. “Ms. Bunting’s generosity opens the door to a nursing career for those who could not otherwise afford it,” says Janet D. Allan, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean of the School of Nursing. “This gift presents a wonderful opportunity for our students while benefitting the entire state by bolstering the professional nurse workforce.” See http://nursing.umaryland.edu/news/2009/1-6.htm. The Arizona State University College of Nursing & Healthcare Innovation is partnering with Idea Crossing, a digital innovation firm, to conduct the first national Healthcare Innovation Challenge® from January 5 to May 1, 2009. Linda Mottle, director of the Center of Healthcare Innovation & Clinical Trials at ASU, said, “The purposes of the challenge are to foster collaboration and attract tomorrow’s leaders as well as to solve real-world healthcare challenges. Our goal in partnering with Idea Crossing is to be a catalyst in bringing innovation which produces better evidenced-based quality patient care, efficiency, and lower costs to healthcare.” Challenge category question areas will include Information Technology in Healthcare, Re-engineering Care and Use of Interdisciplinary Teams, and Healthcare Finance & Health 2.0. For complete details on this unique cross-disciplinary effort, see http://nursing.asu.edu. The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) has established a partnership with the Eclipsys Corporation® to provide tomorrow's nurses with healthcare information technology experience. Faculty plan to use the partnership to develop and implement curriculum that incorporates Eclipsys' advanced information technology solutions, hardware and clinical expertise. "At a time of great need to counter the growing nursing shortage, Penn Nursing is providing nursing students with a solid background that helps them more quickly and fully prepare to enter the profession," said Dean Afaf Meleis. "As Penn Nursing celebrates its 30-year legacy in providing the highest level of nursing scholarship through doctoral education, it is important that we continue to seek ways to advance the science of nursing with emphasis on technology tools that are widely deployed and highly adopted." See http://www.nursing.upenn.edu. Blue Cross Blue Shield executives recently presented a check for $637,000 to Tennessee Better Birth Outcomes, a collaborative project with the Vanderbilt University Schools of Nursing and Medicine as well as Nurses for Newborns, a non-profit nurse visitation program serving at-risk mothers and babies.  The Blue Cross Blue Shield funds will support year three of the randomized clinical trial studying high-risk pregnant women from early pregnancy through postpartum.  The goal is to decrease the number of premature births in Tennessee, which nationally ranks 48th in infant mortality and 47th in preterm births. See http://www.nursing.vanderbilt.edu/media/release98.html. 19. MEMBER NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, AND AWARDS Florida International University College of Nursing & Health Sciences (FIU CNHS) has announced the receipt of three gifts totaling $625,000 towards the College’s new building, which will open December 2009 on the University Park campus in South Miami-Dade. Gifts from Joan K. Stout, RN, and the Hugoton Foundation, Gaumard Scientific and Sheridan Healthcorp will be applied towards teaching equipment and facilities in the new building. “We are very grateful for this generous support from Ms. Stout, Gaumard Scientific and Sheridan Healthcorp, which is vital to develop our instructional resources in the new building,” said Dean Divina Grossman. “From the authentic layout, equipment and realistic patient simulators of the practice labs in the Simulation and Rehabilitation Centers, to conference rooms where medical debriefings take place and policies are made, we are committed to educating and preparing our students in a ‘real-world’ health care environment.” See http://chua2.fiu.edu/Nursing. The University of Cincinnati College of Nursing has been awarded a $1.3 million grant from NIOSH to research ways to curb violence against direct care providers in emergency departments. Dr. Donna Gates is Principal Investigator, and Dr. Gordon Gillespie is Co-investigator. The study will focus on physical violence and verbal threats by patients and visitors against direct care providers – including physicians, nurses and aides – and investigate and measure effective intervention methods. In the college’s ongoing efforts to address the nursing shortage, this research will look at a factor that can affect workforce retention. See http://www.nursing.uc.edu. Titled Transforming Your Organization to Meet the Future: Making the Case for Clinical Nurse Leaders, the University of Portland School of Nursing is sponsoring a full-day symposium focused on how to successfully integrate the Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) by making the clinical, business, and translational research case for the role. The symposium will be held July 18, 2009 at the University of Portland in Portland, OR. This symposium will give nurse executives, nurse managers, working CNLs, CNL students, and CNL educators the tools needed to implement the CNL role and the opportunity to collaborate with one another.  Please visit http://www.nursing.up.edu for more information.  Sign up soon and bring your practice partners! Jacquelyn C. Campbell, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, has been selected to join a group of 25 experts in global health research who will advocate for greater U.S. investment in global health research. Dr, Campbell will join her peers in Research!America’s Paul G. Rogers Society for Global Health Research in a united effort to build a national conversation around the value and importance of U.S. funded global heath research. See http://www.son.jhmi.edu. Divina Grossman, PhD, RN, ARNP, FAAN, has been elected Chair of the Florida Association of Colleges of Nursing for a two-year term. Grossman is dean of the Florida International University (FIU) College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CNHS) in Miami. The Florida Association of Colleges of Nursing (FACN) is comprised of deans and directors of some 50 baccalaureate and higher degree nursing programs in Florida. Together these educators serve as a voice for higher education in nursing in the state. University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing Associate Professor Kathy H. Bowles, PhD, RN, FAAN, was recently appointed to the National Quality Forum Steering Committee on Care Coordination. The National Quality Forum is a not-for-profit organization created to develop and implement a national strategy for health care quality measurement and reporting. In 2008, the NQF deemed Care Coordination one of six national priorities for the improvement of health care in the United States. 20. AACN OUTREACH AND ADVOCACY UPDATE On January 28, the House passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 with a vote of 244 to 188. This economic stimulus package includes key support for nursing education. On January 12, the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) hosted their monthly teleconference to discuss strategies for health reform in 2009. On January 9, the Friends of the National Health Service Corps (FNHSC) held a teleconference to discuss organizing this new group to advocate for the advancement of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC). FNSHC members on the call were happy to observe the positive message Secretary Designate Daschle delivered during his hearing regarding funding for the NHSC. Also on January 9, the Senate HELP Committee held a confirmation hearing for Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), who has been selected by President Obama to serve the new Administration as the Secretary of Labor. During the hearing, Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD)—a champion for nursing education—asked Secretary Designate Solis about the nursing shortage. The hearing testimony and video are available online at: http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_01_09/2009_01_09.html. On January 8, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a confirmation hearing for former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD), who has been selected by President Obama to serve the new Administration as the Secretary of Health and Human Services. The hearing proceeded smoothly with an atmosphere of congeniality. The hearing testimony and video are available at: http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_01_08/2009_01_08.html. The 111th Congress convened January 6, 2009. Given the goals of the House and Senate Leadership, this Congress promises to be an extremely busy time for AACN’s Government Affairs Committee (GAC) and staff. Healthcare reform, the stimulus package, and FY 2010 appropriations will be at the forefront of the Congressional agenda. As in years past, most of these items are on AACN’s Legislative Agenda and are critical to alleviating the shortage of nurses, nurse researchers, and nurse faculty. The GAC reminds you to submit the instructions for the 2009 Title VIII Student Recipient Survey to your financial aid administrator. The survey will be completed online this year. Members were asked in an email January 7 to have their financial aid administrators identify Title VIII student recipients and send them the survey link in an email which also includes the name of the Title VIII program they receive aid through. This data collection helps AACN be the voice for nursing education by providing information needed to communicate with Congress on how Title VIII programs impact nursing education. 21. OPPORTUNITIES AND RESOURCES TO CONSIDER Offered by the University of Texas at Arlington School of Nursing, the Travel, Study, Learn program is offered for nurses, health professionals, and faculty in all healthcare settings who wish to begin or refine Spanish language skills and learn about Mexican culture and health firsthand. Held in Cuernavaca, Mexico on May 15-22, 2009, the program includes intensive Spanish language and culture study; field trips to hospitals, local cultural and historical sites; a welcome reception; lodging and food with a Mexican family; and a Spanish language certificate from the Universidad Internacional in Cuernavaca, Mexico. This activity provides up to 36 contact hours. The cost is $1,350 plus airfare. For additional information, contact Dr. Wendy Barr at 817-272-5376 or via e-mail at barr@uta.edu. The State Nursing Assumption Program of Loans for Education (SNAPLE) program deadline - June 30, 2009 - is fast approaching. The SNAPLE program offers up to $25,000 in loan repayments for nurses serving as faculty at a regionally accredited college or university in California. Please visit http://www.csac.ca.gov for additional information on how you or your colleagues may benefit from this program. 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. Applications are being accepted for the National Institute of Nursing Research’s (NINR) 2009 Summer Genetics Institute (SGI) which will be hosted on the NIH Campus in Bethesda, MD on June 8-July 31, 2009. The SGI is an intensive two-month, 12-credit doctoral level course in genetics open to investigators at all stages of their careers. The program includes classroom and laboratory components that focus on molecular genetics, and seminars on related bioethical, public policy, and clinical practice issues. SGI students receive a small stipend. For more information about the SGI, please visit http://www.ninr.nih.gov/Training/TrainingOpportunitiesIntramural/SummerGeneticsInstitute. 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”. Top | News Watch Home | Media Relations | AACN Home Copyright © 2009 by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. All rights reserved.