Published April 22, 2020 
Weekly Digest
On April 14, NBC News issued a story titled These medical workers are tackling the coronavirus. They're also saddled with student debt. In this piece, staff writer Erik Ortiz examines the growing level of student debt amassed by medical and nursing students, as well as efforts underway to provide meaningful debt relief or loan forgiveness for those healthcare professionals responding to COVID-19. The story cites AACN's 2017 study, which found that the median range of graduate nursing debt was $40,000 to $55,000.
On April 11, Modern Healthcare writer Megan Caruso published a new article titled Outlook for Nurse Supply and Demand Shifting Amid COVID-19. The COVID-19 pandemic has catapulted shortages of healthcare providers to the forefront of concerns regarding nurse staffing and quality of care. Until recently, worries surrounding the nursing shortage were mainly focused on a projected shortfall in the RN workforce 5 to 10 years in the future. Still, Dr. Ernest Grant, president of the American Nurses Association, is among those who are hopeful that the media attention given to nursing during the COVID-19 crisis will inspire a new wave of interest in nursing careers.
AACN Updates
AACN's Foundation for Academic Nursing Launches COVID-19 Nursing Student Support Fund
Call for Nominations for 2021 Election
Nominate Your School for the Innovations in Professional Nursing Education Award
Read the Latest Issue of the Journal of Professional Nursing

The Social Pulse
Job-Seeking During a Pandemic: Every Healthcare Worker is a Hero Now
When you chose a nursing career, did you imagine that you would be searching for a job during a pandemic? Finding the right position in health care can be stressful, even under the best of circumstances. If you are feeling uneasy about entering the workforce, read this uplifting article from Liquid Compass.
Photograph Captures Married Nurses, in Protective Gear, Sharing Tender Moment
A married couple, both nurse anesthetists, took a touching photo together before continuing to care for patients at Florida's Tampa General Hospital. In the photo, Mindy and Ben Cayer are wearing vital protective gear and holding each other while in the intensive care unit. Photos like this are an important reminder of the dedication of our nurses and that we are #inthistogether.
Share this moment on Twitter with the hashtags #ThankANurse and #YearoftheNurse.

Washington Weekly
Inside this edition of Washington Weekly: AACN Letter Sent to Congressional Leadership Outlining Ongoing COVID-19 Legislative Requests; Congress Comes to Agreement on Interim COVID Relief Package; and Addressing Maternal Mortality in America.
Read AACN's Washington Weekly >>
Coronavirus Resources for Nurse Educators

To support the information needs of nursing school deans, faculty, students, and other stakeholders, AACN has developed this resource center to highlight key information sources about the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) found on the web. This section will be updated weekly to include details about new informational events and webinars, the latest news from the CDC, educational events and webinars, and work underway at our nation's nursing schools to raise awareness on prevention and preparedness efforts.
Latest COVID-19 Resources
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School News and Resources Related to COVID-19
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AACN COVID-19 Response Webinars
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