Published February 17, 2021 
Weekly Digest
On February 14, Michelle Andrews with Kaiser Health News published a new article in USA Today titled COVID-19 'Didn't Scare Me Away': Nursing Schools See Enrollment Bump Amid Pandemic. Highlighting AACN’s latest data on the enrollment increases in schools of nursing, the author describes how interest in nursing careers remains high and opportunities abound. AACN President and CEO Deborah Trautman is featured in the article and underscores how nursing is a profession where individuals can make a real difference and lead meaningful work.
On February 10, a team of British nurse researchers led by Dr. E. Castro‐Sánchez from the University of London published a new opinion piece in the International Nursing Review titled What Place Does Nurse‐led Research Have in the COVID‐19 Pandemic? Following a review of the scientific literature, the authors consider how a lack of nurse-led research studies may have limited the production of new evidence to manage and treat patients with COVID-19. The article concludes by calling for “embracing international nursing research, strengthening collaborations, and lobbying policymakers for investment in nurse‐sensitive research to enhance the response to COVID‐19.”
AACN Updates
AACN Announces 2021 Election Results for Board of Directors and Nominating Committee
Great Lineup of Speakers for Next Week’s CNL Summit: Register Today!
Commission on Nurse Certification Call for Volunteers: Deadline February 28
The Social Pulse
Gold Foundation to Host Webinar on Harnessing Meaningful Recognition to Power Resilience to Meet Current and Future Challenges
What needs to be done to foster resiliency in the future nurse workforce? In an upcoming Gold Human InSight webinar, Dr. Cynda Hylton Rushton of Johns Hopkins University and Dr. Cynthia Sweeney of The DAISY Foundation will examine the issues nurses face on the frontline of care, as witnesses to a dynamic and often chaotic environment for practice. Learn more and register here.
Michigan National Guard Soldier Fights COVID-19 in Her Community
"Nothing has been more fulfilling than to administer the lifesaving vaccine to my fellow neighbors in the very school parking lot I graduated from in 1993."
For one Michigan National Guard Citizen-Soldier, a mission of national importance is happening in the very place where she grew up. U.S. Army Maj. Michelle Hill, a nurse with the Joint Force Headquarters State Surgeon's office, is serving on Michigan's Task Force Spartan COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Teams. She is helping administer the vaccine in her hometown of Flint. Read the story here.

Washington Weekly
Inside this edition of Washington Weekly: Nomination Opportunity: FDA Advisory Committee; AACN Reinforces Priorities as Congress Makes Progress on COVID-19 Stimulus; and AACN’s 2021 Virtual Student Policy Summit is Less Than Two Weeks Away – Register Today!
Read AACN's Washington Weekly >>
Opportunities & Resources to Consider
- The Arnold P. Gold Foundation’s annual Hope Babette Tang Humanism in Healthcare Essay Contest for nursing and medical students is now open. Essay writers are asked to engage in a reflective writing exercise that illustrates an experience where they or a team member worked to ensure that humanism was at the core of care. First-, second-, and third-place essays for both nursing and medical students will be chosen by a panel, including healthcare professionals, writers/journalists, and educators. Winning essays are published in the Journal of Professional Nursing and Academic Medicine. Deadline to enter is March 15.
- Join the Duke University School of Nursing, Creative Nursing, and Springer Publishing for In It Together: Dismantling Systems of White Supremacy, a webinar and discussion featuring a panel of thought leaders, on February 23, 3:00-4:00 pm (ET). AACN Director of Diversity & Inclusion Dr. Vernell DeWitty is among the featured speakers.
- AACN, in cooperation with the CDC, has announced a Notice of Opportunity of Funding for a Workforce Improvement Project (WIP) titled Building Capacity and Increasing Awareness of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in U.S. Territories and Freely Associated States to Assess and Improve CKD Testing and Care Coordination Among At-Risk Populations. WIPs are non-research domestic or international projects with a workforce development component that are developed, funded, and managed by the Centers, Institutes, and Offices of the CDC. AACN member schools with experience related to the social determinants of health, high risk populations in low resource areas, and interprofessional teams are strongly encouraged to apply. The project period for this award is approximately one year and is being funded for $85,000. AACN member schools must submit applications to Allison Jacobs at ajacobs@aacnnursing.org by March 8, 2021. For more information or to apply, click here.
- Your help is needed to ensure the Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals (Core Competencies) continue to reflect the reality of working in public health and meet the needs of the public health workforce. The Council on Linkages Between Academia and Public Health Practice is beginning the process of revising the Core Competencies and welcomes feedback from the broad public health and population health community to inform the revisions. Join the Public Health Foundation for a virtual town hall meeting on February 23 at 1:00 pm (ET) to share your thoughts. Questions and feedback are also welcome by email to competencies@phf.org or online through February 28.
Coronavirus Resources for Nurse Educators

To support the information needs of nursing school deans, faculty, students, and other stakeholders, AACN has developed a resource center to highlight key information sources found on the Web regarding COVID-19. The following information and opportunities are currently featured.
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Latest Resource
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AACN’s COVID-19 Community Engagement
Member School Exemplars - Updated on February 16
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Upcoming AACN COVID-19 Webinars
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Boosting Resiliency and Well-being During COVID-19: Evidence-based Interventions that Work
February 18 at 2:00 pm (ET)
Research!America Webinar
Science v. COVID-19: Promising COVID-19 Treatments Explained | Social Media Sharing Images
February 25 at 1:00 pm (ET)
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School News
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Texas Christian University - February 10, 2021
Drive-through vaccine at TCU
Temple University – February 10, 2021
Temple frontline health students, faculty receive COVID-19 vaccine
Regent University – February 10, 2021
Regent University nursing students help administer COVID-19 vaccines
California State University – Long Beach – February 10, 2021
Long Beach's vaccine gamble is paying off for frontline workers
Indiana University Kokomo – February 11, 2021
Nursing students serve as COVID vaccination volunteers
Waynesburg University – February 11, 2021
WU nursing department to assist in WHS vaccine distribution
Georgia State University – February 15, 2021
Nursing students vaccinate Clarkston’s seniors against COVID-19
University of South Florida – February 15, 2021
USF Health College of Nursing launches new training program for nurses during COVID-19
Marquette University – February 16, 2021
Marquette community reacts to the COVID-19 vaccine
Muskingum University – February 16, 2021
Muskingum County school staff receive COVID-19 vaccines
California State University, Chico – February 16, 2021
Nursing students serve on the frontlines against COVID-19
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