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Board Chair and President/CEO Report

October 2016

This report updates members on the strategic initiatives and activities undertaken by the AACN

Board of Directors and staff since the Spring Annual Meeting in March 2016. AACN’s priorities

are shaped by the organization’s mission, values, and vision for the profession.

MAJOR INITIATIVES AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Five AACN Task Forces Underway

In July, the AACN Board of Directors created five new task forces to focus on key issues

impacting the association and academic nursing at large. Last year, the AACN Board and staff

completed a strategic planning process, which helped outline the organization’s priorities for the

next three years. As a result of this work, the Board recognized the need for task forces to study

emerging issues, update and expand key position statements, and clarify AACN’s role as the

voice of academic nursing. A total of 54 member deans, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders are

now advancing the work of the task forces, which are focused on:

AACN’s Vision for Nursing Education

Defining Scholarship for Academic Nursing

Academic Progression in Nursing

AACN Governance

Preferred Vision of the Professoriate

For more details, including task force charges and members, see www.aacn.nche.edu/about-

aacn/committees-task-forces.

Dr. Harriet Feldman Elected to the AACN Board of Directors

On October 5, AACN announced that Dr. Harriet Feldman, Dean and Professor at Pace

University in New York, had been selected for a Member-at-Large position on the Board of

Directors. The term of this position is through March 2017. More than 75% of AACN member

dean representatives voted in this election. Dr. Feldman recently served a two-year term as

AACN Board Member-at-Large. Her long-time support for AACN includes serving on the board

of the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education for 8 years (including a two-year

appointment as Board Chair), as well as service on the Government Affairs Committee, the

Mentoring Subcommittee, and as a State Grassroots Liaison.

National Opioid Prescribing Educational Campaign

AACN has joined with the Administration to enhance the education that APRN students receive

related to opioid prescribing and drug abuse treatment. The White House requested that AACN

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approach its member schools with APRN programs to pledge to educate their students on the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for

Chronic Pain. To date, more than 200 schools of nursing have pledged to teach students the CDC

guideline, which complements the education APRN students currently receive on such topics as

pain management and substance abuse. On April 29, AACN President/CEO Deborah Trautman

offered remarks at a White House Champions of Change for Prevention, Treatment, and

Recovery event in Washington, D.C on AACN’s membership’s commitment.

In AACN’s ongoing efforts to support the work underway, we are pleased to announce that more

than 1,500 individuals have participated in an educational webinar series during September and

October. These webinars were hosted through a partnership of 29 national nursing organizations

to expand its reach within the academic and practice communities. In November, AACN will be

conducting an evaluation on the state of our outreach and the impact schools of nursing have had

in educating APRN students. The webinar series will be a part of this evaluation.

AACN Rallies Support for VA Proposal Promoting Full APRN Practice

On May 25, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Veterans Health Administration

(VHA) issued a proposed rule that would allow Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs)

to practice to the full extent of their education and training within VHA facilities. This landmark

action underscores the important role APRNs play in providing safe, high-quality care across all

settings. AACN, together with colleagues in the APRN and nursing community, has advocated

for over three years to move this change forward. To support this measure, AACN joined with

more than 60 stakeholder organizations to encourage our members, students, and other

constituents to issue public comments in support of the proposed rule. Over the summer, AACN

issued numerous calls for public support, which resulted in more than 1,400 messages from

AACN’s Grassroots Network and Graduate Nursing Student Academy. AACN will continue to

work with our colleagues to urge the Office of Management and Budget and the VHA to publish

a final rule and to move forward with implementing full practice for all APRN roles.

AACN Leaders Present Poster on New Era for Academic Nursing Report

On October 20, AACN Board Chair Juliann Sebastian, Board Chair-Elect Ann Cary, and

member David Vlahov from the University of California San Francisco gave a poster

presentation at the American Academy of Nursing meeting in Washington, DC, which

highlighted AACN’s report on Advancing Healthcare Transformation: A New Era for Academic

Nursing. The poster featured the background and methods used to prepare this report as well as

recommendations for action. The visual display also featured several examples of strategies that

may be used to advance the report’s recommendations. The poster will be on view during

AACN’s Fall Meeting.

Inaugural Health Professions Week

AACN would like to thank all our member schools who promoted and participated in Health

Professions Week (HPW), held September 26-30. This inaugural event brought together more

than 4,000 high school and college students from around the country who have an interest in

careers in health care. Organized by 19 national associations, HPW events included an online

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treasure hunt, on-campus events, online chats, and two virtual fairs. AACN President and CEO

Deb Trautman participated in an online chat along with several AACN staff members. Nursing

was well-represented at this interprofessional event, with nearly a quarter of all registrants

expressing an interest in nursing careers.

Global Alliance for Leadership in Nursing Education and Science (GANES)

GANES serves as the international voice for the contributions professional nursing education and

scholarship make toward improving global health and health care. Members are national

associations of nursing deans and schools of nursing (AACN is a founding member), and

AACN’s Juliann Sebastian currently serves as the Chair of the GANES Board. On June 2,

representatives from three GANES member organizations–AACN, the Canadian Association of

Schools of Nursing (CASN) and the association of Latin American schools and colleges of

nursing (ALADEFE)—met via teleconference. The call focused on developing a set of high-

level principles for nursing education that can be applied globally. The principles could

potentially serve as core international nursing education standards that may be adapted for the

local context. A small group of GANES members was identified to draft the standards.

GANES also is planning to host its third international conference in Miami, FL on April 2-4,

2017 with sessions reflecting the theme “Catalyzing Nursing Education and Scholarship for

Global Health.” This global forum will spotlight key issues in nursing education that extend to

research, practice, and health policy. Academic administrators, nursing faculty, clinical

researchers, representatives from health and education ministries, professional nursing

associations, and graduate nursing students are invited to come exchange ideas, knowledge, and

research related to the conference themes:

Promoting excellence in education through accreditation

Creating future nurse leaders to transform care

Meeting population health needs: Analysis of curriculum development

Innovations and technology in education

Strengthening nursing education through cross-border partnerships

Creating global nurses: Cross-border study and research opportunities for nursing

students

Abstracts are due December 4. For more details, including how to register for the upcoming

conference, see www.ganes.info.

Gold Foundation and AACN Sponsor 50 White Coat Ceremonies

In August, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation (APGF) and AACN announced that 50 schools of

nursing were selected to receive funding support to host White Coat Ceremonies. This

collaboration between APGF and AACN promotes humanistic, patient-centered care among

future generations of registered nurses. Participating schools receive $1,000 in financial support

to host a ceremony, which typically features the recitation of an oath, receipt of a

commemorative pin, an address by an eminent role model, and a reception for students and

invited guests. To date, the partnering organizations have provided funding and technical support

to introduce White Coat Ceremonies at 160 nursing schools nationwide.

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AACN Members Call for Smoke-Free Schools of Nursing

At the AACN Spring Meeting held in Washington, DC in March, the deans of the nation’s

baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs endorsed a resolution calling for smoke-free

college campuses. This call to action was issued to mobilize support among nurse educators for

promoting tobacco-free policies at colleges and universities nationwide in an effort to promote

healthy behaviors and save lives. AACN has been an advocate for smoke- and tobacco-free

learning environments for more than 10 years. In 2004, AACN partnered with the Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation to provide communications support to advance the Tobacco-Free Nurses

initiative. In January 2015, the AACN Board of Directors endorsed a resolution advanced by the

American Academy of Nursing, which called for Smoke-Free Campus Policies for Schools of

Nursing and College Campuses. AACN created a new toolkit for schools interested in going

smoke-free, which may be accessed online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-

resources/smoke-free-tool-kit.

New Recipients of the DNP Evidence-Based Population Health Project Award

The AACN-CDC Academic Partnership Cooperative Agreement is a federally funded

cooperative agreement intended to create opportunities for the higher education community to

collectively meet the challenges of improving the population’s health. This program is designed

to facilitate the development of qualified, knowledgeable, and experienced students and

emerging health professionals for public health practice in governmental, health care, or other

settings. In support of this purpose, AACN and the CDC are pleased to announce the eight

recipients of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Evidence-Based Population Health Project award.

These eight awards of up to $4,000 will support evidence-based projects contributing to

public/population health outcomes. The recipients are:

Cynethia Bethel Jaiteh – Northern Kentucky University

Marcia Johansson – University of South Florida

Mary Hoft – East Tennessee State University

Ginny Wurttemberg and Cari McAlister – University of Alabama

Sheryl Aiken – Medical University of South Carolina

Mallory Miner – Idaho State University

Kala Sugathan – Arizona State University

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

AACN Providing Nursing Workforce Diversity Technical Assistance Program

On September 28, AACN announced that it would provide letters of support and a technical

assistance program for member schools seeking funding through the Nursing Workforce

Diversity (NWD) program offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration

(HRSA). For this round of funding, applicants must establish a formal agreement with a health

professions organization to provide technical assistance and staff training related to Holistic

Admissions Review, an effective strategy for bringing students from underrepresented groups

into nursing. AACN has developed a structured NWD Technical Assistance Program that

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features an assessment of admissions practices, an on-site Holistic Admissions Review

workshop, student recruitment and retention strategies, and models for building a successful

mentoring program. This program builds on the successful Holistic Review workshop conducted

by AACN last fall and the lessons learned from the Robert Wood Johnson News Careers in

Nursing program, which was administered by AACN. Schools seeking a letter of support for

their NWD application and a formal agreement with AACN are encouraged to contact Dr.

Vernell DeWitty, AACN Special Advisor on Diversity and Inclusion, at

vdewitty@aacn.nche.edu. The deadline to apply for NWD funding is November 14.

Studying the Impact of the New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) Program

On September 25, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing (NCIN)

program issued a call for applications from researchers interested in studying the impact the

NCIN program has had on changing the face of nursing. Over the last eight years, NCIN has

amassed a large data set, including information on more than 3,500 students enrolled in

accelerated nursing programs. Up to four grants will be awarded to individuals in the amount of

$3,000 each for analysis and development of a manuscript in one of the following categories:

Supports and barriers for accelerated nursing students

Characteristics of male nursing students

Increasing diversity and cultural climate of nursing schools

Student debt and accelerated nursing education: policy implications

Effective mentoring…necessary components

AACN is pleased to report that 45 proposals have been received in response to the Call for

Research Applications and funding decisions will be made in late November.

Showcasing the Legacy of the NCIN Program

The Journal of Professional Nursing has published a special supplement to its September-

October 2016 issue titled “Accelerated Nursing Education: The New Careers in Nursing

Scholarship Program—Innovations and Legacy.” This collection of 12 articles highlights

the collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and AACN to create the

New Careers in Nursing (NCIN) scholarship program. During this 7-year program, 130

schools of nursing in 41 states and the District of Columbia were selected as grantees, and

they awarded 3,517 scholarships to second-degree accelerated nursing students who were

members of groups underrepresented in nursing or who were economically disadvantaged.

Articles in this issue focus on effective ways to recruit and retain individuals from diverse

backgrounds in professional nursing education programs. For one year, this issue will be

available online at no cost for all readers.

New Holistic Admissions Review Toolkit Published

In September, AACN published a new online toolkit for holistic admissions review in nursing.

This resource gives an effective admissions strategy that assesses an applicant’s unique

experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement. It is designed to help

universities consider a broad range of factors reflecting the applicant’s academic readiness,

contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success both in school and later as a

professional. Many colleges and universities have employed a holistic admission process to

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assemble a diverse class of students with the background, qualities, and skills needed for success

in the profession. Learn more by visiting this tool kit on the AACN website.

LEADERSHIP AND INFLUENCE

New Graduates from AACN’s Leadership Programs Announced

In August, AACN announced the fifth class of nursing deans who have successfully completed

the AACN-Wharton Executive Leadership Program. Launched in collaboration with the

Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, this world-class enrichment experience is

designed for top academic leaders in schools of nursing. This groundbreaking program has now

graduated 167 Fellows from 41 states. Using a competitive process, 40 academic nursing leaders

were selected this year to participate in the AACN-Wharton program, which convened in

Philadelphia, PA on August 8-11, 2016.

Now in its 15th

year, AACN’s prestigious Leadership for Academic Nursing Program (LANP)

was created to prepare future deans and other top academic administrators. This structured

experience includes an assessment and evaluation of leadership skills, identification of success

strategies, and consultation to achieve long-term goals. In July, this year’s 45 Fellows attended a

five-day workshop in Annapolis, MD, where they participated in intensive classes and exercises

related to effective academic leadership. To find out more about AACN’s leadership programs,

see www.aacn.nche.edu/leadership.

AACN Leadership Networks

To date, more than 1,400 nursing school faculty and staff at member institutions have joined

AACN’s Leadership Networks. These networks provide a forum for peer professionals to share

best practices and success stories, sharpen leadership skills, participate in professional

development activities, and take full advantage of AACN resources. Networks include

Organizational Leadership, Instructional Leadership, Research Leadership, Practice Leadership,

Business Officers of Nursing Schools, Nursing Advancement Professionals, and Graduate

Nursing Admissions Professionals. See www.aacn.nche.edu/networks.

National Academy of Medicine End-of-Life Summit

On May 23, AACN President and CEO Deborah Trautman was invited by the National Academy

of Medicine (NAM) to present an overview on “Academic Nursing’s Commitment to Ensuring

Quality Palliative Care” as part of a national meeting on Assessing Progress in End-of-Life and

Serious Illness Care. Held in Washington, DC, stakeholders from across the health professions

were convened to gauge the impact of NAM’s Dying in America report, which was released in

2014. Dr. Trautman gave an overview of AACN’s work with the ELNEC project and presented a

formal statement about AACN’s Commitment to Improving Care of the Seriously Ill and Dying.

Other presenters included Patrick Conway, Deputy Administrator for Innovation and Quality and

Chief Medical Officer, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and Kathleen Sebelius, Co-

Chair, Aspen Health Strategy Group and Former Secretary of the Department of Health and

Human Services.

Representation by AACN Leaders at Key Meetings and Events

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AACN’s Board Chair, Chair-Elect, President/CEO, deans, and staff represent the interests of the

association and its membership at a number of high profile events throughout the year. Below is

a sampling of meetings attended by AACN’s leaders since April 2016:

On April 20, AACN President/CEO Deb Trautman and AACN’s Director of

Interprofessional Education and Practice Partnerships Kathy McGuinn attended the Global

Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education Planning Meeting held in

Washington, DC. Discussion centered on The Role of Accreditation in Enhancing Quality

and Innovation in Health Professions Education.

On May 25, Deb Trautman attended a meeting of the VA’s Special Medical Advisory Group

in Washington, DC.

On June 3, Deb Trautman presented on “Integrating Nursing Data into Health Policy” as part

of the University of Minnesota’s annual Big Data Science Conference.

On June 16-17, Deb Trautman was invited by the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation to attend a

national conference on Preparing Registered Nurses for Enhanced Roles in Primary Care

held in Atlanta, GA.

On June 22, Board Chair-Elect Ann Cary and Deb Trautman met with senior staff from the

National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services

Administration at AACN’s headquarters to discuss opportunities to incorporate more

information about substance use disorders into pre-service educational curricula.

On June 22, Ann Cary and Deb Trautman attended the inaugural meeting of the IPEC

Council hosted by the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, DC.

On June 23-25, Ann Cary and NCIN Program Director Vernell DeWitty attended the 2016

Membership Assembly of the American Nurses Association held in Washington, DC.

On June 30, Deb Trautman attended the Network for Excellence in Health Innovation

Meeting hosted by the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington

University in Washington, DC.

On July 7-8, Board Chair Juliann Sebastian, Chair-Elect Ann Cary, and President/CEO Deb

Trautman attended a Tri-Council for Nursing meeting hosted by American Organization of

Nurse Executives in Washington, DC.

On August 7, Deb Trautman presented opening remarks at the AACN-Wharton Executive

Leadership Program held in Philadelphia, PA.

On August 16, Deb Trautman presented on Thriving in the Faculty Role: Answering the Call

for Nursing Leadership at Washington State University in Spokane, WA.

On September 1, Deb Trautman attended a meeting of the VA’s Special Medical Advisory

Group in Arlington, VA.

On September 8, Deb Trautman attended the annual retreat for the founding organizations of

the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) in Washington, DC.

On September 26, Deb Trautman attended a meeting of the National Academy of Medicine

on Vital Direction for Health and Health Care: A National Conversation in Washington, DC.

On October 4, Deb Trautman attended a meeting of the Washington Higher Education

Secretariat in Washington, DC.

On October 5-7, Ann Cary and Deb Trautman attended the National Academy of Medicine’s

Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professions Education in Washington, DC.

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On October 18, Deb Trautman presented the annual Littlefield Lecture at the University of

Wisconsin in Madison, WI.

On October 19, Juliann Sebastian, Ann Cary, Deb Trautman, and several AACN staff

members attended the annual Nightingala celebration in Washington, DC.

FACULTY AND STUDENT RESOURCES

AACN Announces Latest Faculty Award Winners

The AACN Faculty Teaching Awards recognize excellence and innovation in nursing education

by faculty at AACN member schools. Following a competitive nomination process, four awards

are presented each year to novice and experienced educators. This year’s recipients include:

AACN Novice Faculty Teaching Awards Recipients

Clinical Teaching Award: Colleen Walters, Clayton State University

Didactic Teaching Award: Kathrene Brendell, University of South Carolina

AACN Excellence and Innovation in Teaching Award Recipients

Susan Bindon, University of Maryland

AACN Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Excellence Award Recipient

Marilyn Oermann, Duke University

Read more about each award recipient at www.aacn.nche.edu/faculty/awards. The next

application cycle is now underway.

Membership in the GNSA Surpasses 17,000 Students

In October, the Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) reached an important milestone

with more than 17,000 students from 550 schools across the country now enrolled in the GNSA.

Launched in August 2012, the GNSA provides high-value programs, resources, and services to

meet the professional development needs of graduate nursing students. Membership in the

GNSA is free and open to all master’s and doctoral students enrolled in AACN-affiliated

institutions. The GNSA Leadership Council, consisting of three PhD students, two DNP

students, one master’s student, one post-master’s certificate student, and two recent PhD

graduates, continues to drive the strategic direction for the group. For more details, see

www.aacn.nche.edu/gnsa.

Registration Opens Early for the Student Policy Summit

Given the strong demand by students, AACN opened registration for next year’s Student Policy

Summit conference on October 11 with a two-student limit per AACN member school. The

Summit, which convenes baccalaureate and graduate nursing students from AACN member

schools in Washington, DC, offers attendees a three-day experience to learn from nursing and

healthcare’s leading policy experts. In addition, students make Hill visits with AACN member

deans/directors to discuss priorities for nursing education, research, and practice that contribute

to the national healthcare dialogue. The 2017 summit is planned for March 19-21. Interested

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students must get the dean’s approval to register. For more details, see

www.aacn.nche.edu/events/info-page?sessionaltcd=1219. Sponsorship opportunities are still

available and help ensure that the cost of attendance is reasonable for students. To learn more,

see www.aacn.nche.edu/government-affairs/2016-SPS-Sponsorship.pdf.

PARTNERSHIPS AND ENGAGEMENT

Jonas Center and AACN Expand Support for Doctoral Students

Since 2012, AACN has partnered with the Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare to

enhance the nation’s supply of doctorally prepared nurses available to serve in faculty and

clinical roles. The 2016-2018 cohort consists of 231 Jonas Nurse Leader PhD Scholars, 4 Jonas

Nurse Leader EdD Scholars, 75 Jonas Nurse Leader DNP Scholars, 53 Jonas Veterans

Healthcare PhD Scholars, 58 Jonas Veterans Healthcare DNP Scholars, and 7 Jonas Legacy

Scholars for a total of 429 scholars. The scholars have officially begun their cohort with an

orientation Webinar and will be preparing to get together for the Jonas Scholar Leadership

Conference, which is being planned for Fall 2017.

Tri-Council for Nursing

For more than 40 years, the Tri-Council for Nursing has met to advance shared priorities and

define a common advocacy agenda for the profession. The Tri-Council consists for four steering

organizations, including AACN, the American Nurses Association (ANA), the National League

for Nursing (NLN), and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE). Leaders from

these organizations meet several times a year; representing AACN are the Board Chair, Board

Chair-Elect, and CEO.

At its July meeting, the AACN Board of Directors endorsed a new position statement issued by

the Tri-Council on The Essential Role of the Registered Nurse and Integration of Community

Health Workers into Community Team-Based Care. AACN Board Chair Juliann Sebastian, NLN

President Ann Bavier, and ANA President Pamela Cipriano drafted this statement, which calls

for the further development, implementation, and evaluation of community team-based models

of care delivery to promote the goals of comprehensive, equitable, and prevention-oriented care

delivery that optimally engages individuals, families, and their communities. The position may

be downloaded from the AACN web site.

The Tri-Council of Nursing also announced its support of the National Consortium for Health

Science Education’s (NCHSE) National Health Science Standards. The NCHSE document

establishes high school curriculum standards designed to prepare health science students with the

knowledge and skill needed to successfully transition from high school to nursing education

programs. The Tri-Council acknowledges the potential of these standards to assist students to be

aware and competent of what they will need as they explore a career in nursing. To access the

standards, see www.healthscienceconsortium.org.

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IPEC Revises Core Competency Document

On July 11, the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) announced the release of an

updated version of the Core Competencies for Interprofessional Collaborative Practice, which

will have a far-reaching impact on how health and partner professionals are educated and how

they practice. First published in 2011, the IPEC core competency document has framed the

national dialogue on the need for interprofessional education and practice as a catalyst for

improving team-based patient care and enhancing population health outcomes.

Since the original document’s release, the IPEC core competencies have been disseminated

widely throughout the health professions and embedded into both curriculum and accreditation

standards. More than 1,400 faculty members from across health disciplines and partnering

professions have participated in IPEC institutes, which facilitate implementation of the

competencies. The 2011 report has been cited throughout the health professions’ literature,

translated into multiple languages, and reprinted in part and in whole in over a dozen educational

textbooks. To access the new competencies, see www.ipecollaborative.org.

Alliance for Nursing Informatics Welcomes AACN as Advisor

The governing directors of the Alliance for Nursing Informatics (ANI) voted unanimously to

welcome AACN to serve on both the ANI steering committee and the ANI governing directors

as a non-voting advisor. AACN President and CEO Deb Trautman will serve as the association's

representative. ANI is a collaboration of organizations that represent a unified voice for nursing

informatics, providing the synergy and structure needed to advance the efforts of nursing

informatics professionals in improving the delivery of patient care. The ANI governing directors

consists of one representative from each member organization and contributes leadership on

issues of importance to the specialty of nursing informatics. The governing directors identify the

strategic goals and activities of ANI each year.

PROJECT UPDATES AND NEW RESOURCES

CCNE Revises Accreditation Procedures for Entry-to-Practice Nurse Residencies

On September 13, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) announced the

publication of revised Procedures for Accreditation of Entry-to-Practice Nurse Residency

Programs. The most significant revisions are related to CCNE’s expansion of activities to

accredit nurse residency programs in all care settings and to offer accreditation to both

employee-based nurse residency programs and federally funded traineeship nurse residency

programs, as requested by CCNE’s community of interest. The new procedures document can be

accessed on the CCNE website.

NursingCAS Continues to Expand Nationwide

Since the new, customizable version of the NursingCAS application launched last fall, the

nation’s only centralized application service for nursing programs has experienced significant

growth with more than 80,000 nursing school applicants in the system. Nearly 200 schools of

nursing are now using NursingCAS with more than 1,300 programs seeking applicants for

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doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate degree level nursing programs. Interest continues

to grow as a result of the improved functionality and ability to customize school listings on a per

program basis. Several participating schools are expanding the numbers of programs posted on

the application to include both graduate and undergraduate level degrees. AACN is collaborating

with our partner Liaison International to strategically plan for and execute technological and

operational improvements to increase applicant and school user satisfaction with NursingCAS.

New Data on the Vizient-AACN Residency Project

The Vizient-AACN Nurse Residency Program is designed to effectively support new nurses as

they transition into their first professional roles. The program is built on an evidence-based

curriculum using the AACN Baccalaureate Essentials and meets national residency accreditation

standards. This year, 72 new hospital systems initiated the residency program, which has been

rated highly by graduates and employers. With more than 288 residency sites active in 36 states,

the nursing turnover rate of first-year baccalaureate graduates was, on average, 5% at residency

sites, which is significantly lower than the national average (13%). Nurses completing the

residency also reported higher levels of confidence, competence, and perceived ability to

organize their work and communicate.

Introducing AACN-TV

AACN is pleased to announce the launch of AACN-TV, an online portal for showcasing

innovations in academic nursing. Accessible at www.aacntv.org, this platform was created

through a partnership between AACN and New Media News TV to highlight schools of nursing,

promote pathways into the profession, and explore future directions in nursing education.

Nursing schools interested in finding out more about AACN-TV, including production

requirements, timeline, and costs are encouraged to contact site producer Danny Cohen with

New Media News TV at danny@aacntv.org. For additional information, contact AACN’s Chief

Communications Officer Robert Rosseter at rrosseter@aacn.nche.edu.

Volunteers Needed for New Dean Mentoring Program

AACN’s New Dean Mentoring Program matches an experienced dean with a colleague who is

new to the dean/director role. New deans/directors determine individual areas of concern and

establish the method and frequency of communication with their mentors. Deans/directors are

matched according to their responses to a questionnaire (e.g., program type, size, and location).

AACN is seeking volunteers to serve as mentors. Interested applicants can learn more at

www.aacn.nche.edu/membership/new-dean-mentoring-program and fill out an application by

logging on to My AACN at www.aacn.nche.edu/ams/login. For more information, contact

Membership Assistant Caitlin Partridge at cpartridge@aacn.nche.edu.

ELNEC Introduces New Online Curriculum

Since the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) was introduced in 2001, more

than 21,500 nurses and other healthcare professionals have attended an ELNEC course. ELNEC

has been presented in 90 countries around the world, and its curriculum has been translated into

eight languages—Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German, Romanian, and

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Albanian. Using the palliative care competencies endorsed by the AACN Board of Directors in

January 2016, a new ELNEC online curriculum is being developed for undergraduate nursing

students, thanks to a generous grant received from the Cambia Health Foundation. The

document, titled Palliative Competencies and Recommendations for Educating Nursing

Students (CARES), provides the foundation for the new online program and will be a vital

resource to prepare undergraduate nursing students to provide care to those in the nation with

serious, complex illness. ELNEC-For-Undergraduates will be available to all schools of nursing

in January2017 through Relias Learning. Stay tuned for more information about this new

resource.

Deadline Approaches for AACN’s Annual Survey

AACN’s 2016 Annual Survey of institutions with baccalaureate and higher degree nursing

programs will close on November 4. Information collected from the survey is incorporated into

the nation's premier database on trends in nursing school enrollments and graduations; student

and faculty demographics; and faculty and deans' salaries. Survey participation is vital to

AACN's mission to advance professional nursing education, research, and practice. All

participating schools will receive free copies of the reports to which they contribute information.

Programs affiliated with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) are reminded

to complete the survey to satisfy CCNE's annual reporting requirement. Please direct questions

to Di Fang, AACN’s Director of Institutional Research and Data Services, at

dfang@aacn.nche.edu.

Survey Data Show Increase in the Faculty Vacancy Rate

New data from AACN’s annual survey of faculty vacancies confirm that the shortage of nurse

educators is being driven by a limited pool of doctorally prepared nurses and noncompetitive

faculty salaries. Based on data from 821 U.S. nursing schools with baccalaureate and graduate

nursing programs (86.0% response rate from member schools), the full-time faculty vacancy rate

in 2016 was 7.9%. Most of the reported vacancies (92.8%) are for faculty positions requiring or

preferring a doctoral degree in nursing or a related field. Survey respondents reported that the

major reasons precluding schools from hiring additional faculty are insufficient funds to hire new

faculty (63.9%), an unwillingness by school administration to commit to hiring additional faculty

(49.6%), and an inability to compete with jobs in the clinical setting (38.3%). For survey results,

see www.aacn.nche.edu/leading-initiatives/research-data/vacancy16.pdf.

Upcoming AACN Conferences

AACN conferences provide deans/directors and faculty with a stimulating source of professional

development and allows for valuable networking. Upcoming conferences include:

Fall Executive Development Series in Anaheim, CA, November 16-17, 2016

Instructional Leadership Network Program in Anaheim, CA, November 17, 2016

Baccalaureate Education Conference in Anaheim, CA, November 17-19, 2016

Nursing Science and the Research-Focused Doctorate Pre-Conference in San Diego, CA,

January 18, 2017

Faculty Practice Pre-Conference in San Diego, CA, January 18, 2017

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Doctoral Education Conference in San Diego, CA, January 18-21, 2017

Research Leadership Network Program in San Diego, CA, January 19, 2017

CNL Research Symposium in Atlanta, GA, February 22, 2017

CNL Summit in Atlanta, GA, February 22-24, 2017

Master’s Education Conference in Atlanta, GA, February 23-25, 2017

Spring Executive Development Series in Washington, DC, March 17-18, 2017

Spring Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, March 18-21, 2017

Student Policy Summit in Washington, DC, March 19-21, 2017

GANES International Conference in Miami, FL, April 2-4, 2017

Graduate Nursing Admissions Professional Conference in Dallas, TX, April 3-5, 2017

Business Officers of Nursing Schools Annual Meeting, Savannah, GA, April 19-21, 2017

Nursing Advancement Professionals Conference in Orlando, FL, April 26-29, 2017

For more details in upcoming conferences, see www.aacn.nche.edu/conferences.

CNL Summit and Research Symposium Planned for February 2017

Coming to Atlanta, GA on February 22-24, the annual CNL Summit provides a forum for all

healthcare and academic audiences currently implementing or interested in exploring CNL

education and practice. Conference topics generally include the impact and value of the CNL

role on improving patient outcomes, implementing and sustaining the CNL role across diverse

systems of care, the CNL role in quality and safety initiatives, innovations in education, and the

complementary relationship between the CNL and other members of the healthcare team,

including nurse managers, APRNs, and physicians. Special forums for CNL faculty and

nursing/healthcare executives also are offered.

The 2017 CNL Research Symposium, a pre-conference workshop offered in conjunction with

the CNL Summit, will be held on February 22 from 8:00 am-12:15 pm. Hosted by the

Commission on Nurse Certification, the theme is CNLs Creating Value through Evidence,

Quality and Research. Program sessions will focus on value-based purchasing, the CMS quality

strategy, and the CMS Merit-Based Incentive Based Payment System among other topics. For

details about the Summit and Research Symposium, including how to register, see

https://www.aacn.nche.edu/events/info-page?sessionaltcd=1310.

New CCNE Board and Nominating Committee Members Elected

In July, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) announced the results of its

2016 elections process. Elected to the CCNE Board were Dr. Sheila Smith from Pacific Lutheran

University as a representative of chief nurse administrators; Dr. Pamela Simmons from

Northwestern State University of Louisiana as a representative of faculty; Dr. Mary Jane Hanson

from Penn-Kiddler Medical Center as a representative of practicing nurses; and Dr. Kathleen

Burke from the University of Pennsylvania HealthSystem as a representative of professional

consumers. Members of the CCNE Nominating Committee also were elected and include Dr.

Shirleatha Lee from The University of Memphis; Dr. John McFadden from Barry University; Dr.

Cheryl Robinson from the University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Dr. Kit Smith from the

University of Missouri – Kansas City. The members of the Nominating Committee elect one of

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its members to chair the committee the following year. Dr. Michele Upvall from the University

of Central Florida was elected to serve as committee chair in 2017.

In September, the CCNE Board of Commissioners elected its officers for 2017 including Dr.

Susan D. Ruppert from The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston as Chair; Dr.

Judith H. Lewis from D’Youville College as Vice Chair; Judith F. Karshmer from the University

of San Francisco as Treasurer; and Dr. David R. Marshall from the University of Texas Medical

Branch at Galveston as Secretary. All officers are elected to one-year terms and may be re-

elected to the office for a second term.

AACN Staff Appointments and Awards

On October 20, AACN announced the appointment of two AACN staff members in newly

created roles on association’s executive leadership team: Dr. Joan Stanley was named Chief

Academic Officer and Dr. Suzanne Miyamoto was named Chief Policy Officer. In addition,

three veteran AACN staff also were recognized for their unique expertise and contribution to

advancing the association's mission: Pamela Malloy, Director of the End-of Life Nursing

Education Consortium (ELNEC), was named Special Advisor for Global Initiatives; Kathleen

McGuinn, AACN's Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice Partnerships, was

named Special Advisor for Quality Initiatives, and Dr. Vernell DeWitty, Director of the Robert

Wood Johnson Foundation's New Careers in Nursing Scholarship Program, was named Special

Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion. Please join us in congratulating AACN staff on these new

appointments.

On October 22, AACN’s Pamela Malloy was among the 164 nurse leaders inducted this year as

Fellows of the American Academy of Nursing. The induction ceremony took place during the

Academy’s annual policy conference in Washington, DC. AACN Board Chair-Elect Ann Cary

also was inducted into the Academy along with several member deans and dozens of faculty.

Congratulations all!

Recognition for Years of Service to AACN

In celebration of their dedication and commitment to the association, AACN’s Board of

Directors and CEO would like to recognize the following staff members for their milestone

anniversaries this year:

25 Years of Service: Joan Stanley, Chief Academic Officer

15 Years of Service: Robert Rosseter, Chief Communications Officer

10 Years of Service: Suzanne Miyamoto, Chief Policy Officer

5 Years of Service: Lauren Inouye, Director of Government Affairs

Lori Schroeder, CCNE Director of Accreditation Services

Christine Downing, NCIN Research Coordinator

Yan Li, Manager of Data Services

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Welcome to New Staff Members

AACN is delighted to welcome several new staff members since the Spring Annual Meeting.

Please join us in welcoming the following individuals: Dr. Rick Garcia, Director of Nursing

Education; Dr. Colleen Leners, Director of Policy; Allison Cheng, Government Affairs

Administrative Assistant; Bobbi Cole, AACN Receptionist; Nuria Gramkee, CCNE

Accreditation Coordinator; Kyle Kennedy, Data Assistant; Kylie Malloy, Conference and

Administrative Assistant; and Arianna Morrell, Administrative Assistant.

Thank you for this opportunity to update you on AACN’s recent activities.

Juliann G. Sebastian, PhD, RN, FAAN

Chair, Board of Directors

Deborah E. Trautman, PhD, RN, FAAN

President and Chief Executive Officer