Published April 28, 2021 
Rounds with Leadership: Sustaining the Nurse Faculty Population
As part of our work to survey the landscape of member school needs, one concern persists as a top priority: Sustaining a robust supply of nurse faculty to prepare entry- and advanced-level nurses. Finding faculty with the right mix of education, experience, and expertise continues to be a challenge for nursing schools nationwide. In fact, we know from data collected through AACN’s annual surveys that roughly one-third of the total faculty population is expected to retire by 2025. This crisis is real and demands a swift, collaborative response.
Fortunately, the National Advisory Council on Nurse Education and Practice (NACNEP) has released its 17 th annual report to Congress titled Preparing Nurse Faculty and Addressing the Shortage of Nurse Faculty and Clinical Preceptors to provide some recommendations for a federal response to address this issue. NACNEP’s members, which include nursing deans and faculty, practice leaders, organizational representatives, and federal staff, are calling on a public-private response to develop, support, and fund a wide range of initiatives to address the shortage of nurse faculty and enhance nursing education and training.
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Weekly Digest
On April 22, 2021, the JAMA Forum published an article from Drs. William Rosa, Betty Ferrell, and Diana Mason titled Integration of Palliative Care Into All Serious Illness Care as A Human Right. With COVID-19 requiring clinicians to have frequent conversations with patients and families about dying, the need for universal access to palliative care has become more acute. The authors detail how education, payment, and health equity reforms are needed to expand access to end-of-life care among all patient populations. AACN’s role in integrating palliative education into nursing curriculum through the ELNEC project was noted.
In the May 2021 issue of the American Journal of Nursing, writer Nicole Fauteux published a new analysis on COVID-19: Impact on Nurses and Nursing. The author describes several innovations that resulted from nursing’s response to the pandemic, including greater collaboration within interprofessional care teams, the removal of practice barriers, the expansion of telehealth, heightened concerns about clinician burnout, and increased interest in nursing careers.
AACN Updates
Dr. Joan Stanley Receives NONPF Award
In a virtual ceremony held last week in conjunction with the annual conference of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF), AACN Chief Academic Officer Dr. Joan Stanley was presented with that organization’s 2021 Friends of NONPF Award. Dr. Stanley was cited for her strong support of NONPF and her advocacy for quality nurse practitioner education.
AACN and Gold Foundation Announce New Funding Opportunity for Nursing Schools to Champion Compassionate Care
Executive Development Series for Deans to Focus on The Inner Game of Leading Change
Register for Tomorrow’s Webinar: Enhancing Mentoring Relationships to Accelerate Professional Growth
The Social Pulse
University of Rochester Nursing Pays Tribute to Loretta Ford as the Legend Turns 100
Dr. Loretta Ford – the visionary leader who created the first nurse practitioner program at the University of Colorado in 1965 – will celebrate her 100th birthday this year. To mark this milestone, the University of Rochester has created a virtual tribute to this pioneering nurse educator. “Through her leadership and innovation, Dr. Loretta Ford has forever changed the trajectory of the nursing profession,” said AACN’s President and CEO Dr. Deborah Trautman. Read this inspiring story about how Dr. Ford is celebrating a century of life and nursing greatness.
#FirstRespondersFirst: Osmosis Launches Free Course on Nursing Resilience
Osmosis and #FirstRespondersFirst have developed an interactive e-learning course on mental health training for first responders. The course includes eight modules designed to help nurses and nurse educators understand the physiology of stress, anxiety, and burnout, access ways to self-identify stress and its impact on a clinician's practice, and implement strategies to avoid toxic stress levels. Learn more and register here.
Washington Weekly
Inside this edition of Washington Weekly: AACN's Partnership with NIH’s All of Us Research Program; Bipartisan Bills Recognizing the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps Reintroduced; Deadline Approaching: Apply for the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program Today.
Read AACN's Washington Weekly >>
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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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Upcoming AACN Webinar
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Maintaining Program Integrity During a Pandemic: Balancing Rigor with Compassion
April 29 at 2:00 pm (ET)
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Latest Resources
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Community-Centric Public Health Practice: COVID-19 Vaccination and Beyond
Center for Health Security
COVID-19 Vaccine Partner Resources
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
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School News
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COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics Held on Campus
Marywood University – April 28, 2021
UMaine to Offer COVID-19 Vaccines Wednesday for Students and Community Members
University of Maine – April 27, 2021
How Working Amid the Pandemic ‘Shaped the Perspective’ of UMass Dartmouth Nursing Students
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth – April 27, 2021
Nursing Faculty and Students Vaccinate 4,000 in Community
Brenau University – April 26, 2021
Nursing Students Volunteer to Administer Vaccine to Virginia Residents
University of Virginia – April 25, 2021
LIU Nursing Students Give 500 Students COVID-19 Vaccines
Long Island University – April 24, 2021
Senior Nursing Students Help with Mass Vaccination Events
University of Delaware – April 23, 2021
Students Give the Shots During COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic at NKU
Northern Kentucky University – April 22, 2021
For the Greater Good – School of Nursing Makes House Calls to Help Vaccinate the Community
Montclair State University – April 22, 2021
ISU Nursing Professor Explains Community Response in COVID Times
Illinois State University – April 22, 2021
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