Published May 19, 2021 
Weekly Digest
On May 18, 2021, two members of the National Academy of Medicine’s Committee on the Future of Nursing – Dr. Regina Cunningham from the University of Pennsylvania and Dr. David Williams from Harvard University – published an opinion piece in STAT titled All States Should Harness Nurses’ Full Potential. States that do not grant nurses full practice authority are more likely to have geographic health disparities, higher burdens of chronic disease, difficulty accessing primary care, and higher costs. The authors conclude with recommendations for policymakers, educators, healthcare leaders, and employers to advocate for full practice authority, which is essential to achieving health equity.
On May 6, 2021, health reporter David Levine with U . S . News and World Report published a new article titled Why Representation in Nursing Matters. The pandemic has revealed pervasive disparities in health care, due in part to a lack of minority representation among nurses. The author examines the research showing how patients fare better when care is provided by more diverse teams. AACN’s data on nursing student diversity are cited throughout this piece, along with comments from Dr. Brigit Carter from Duke University and Dr. Sheldon Fields from Penn State University.
AACN Updates
AACN Foundation Announces New Funding for Faculty Scholars Program
Call for Nominations, Deadline June 3: Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Award
CDC Funding Opportunities for AACN Members: Public Health Emergency Preparedness/Response and Data Modernization
The Social Pulse
Maximizing HRSA Funding Opportunities to Advance Nursing Workforce Diversity
On May 6, The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action recently co-hosted a webinar with AACN and the National League for Nursing to highlight current funding opportunities through HRSA. Dr. Vernell DeWitty, AACN's Director for Diversity and Inclusion, was among the presenters and shared strategies for faculty recruitment and retention using the Faculty Loan Repayment Program. View the webinar here.
Mother-Daughter Duo Graduates from South Dakota State University's College of Nursing
“We were both at a crossroads in our lives where we were making decisions about our futures; I wanted to go back to school, and she was already in college questioning which direction she wanted to go. We simultaneously came up with nursing, and I was still kind of kicking it around, and she kind of looked at me and said, ‘if you go, I’ll go.”
--Gabrielle Miller, South Dakota State University nursing school graduate
Read this heartwarming story about a mother and daughter who each graduated with a nursing degree together on Mother’s Day.
Washington Weekly
Inside this edition of Washington Weekly: Senate Introduces TRAIN Act to Support Hospital-Based Nursing Schools; Congress Recognizes and Celebrates National Nurses Week; National Academy of Medicine Unveiled the Future of Nursing Report 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity.
Read AACN's Washington Weekly >>
Opportunities & Resources to Consider
- On June 1 at 3:00 pm (ET), as part of the 2021 QSEN International Forum, there will be a Pre-Virtual Live Event, “Understanding the New AACN Essentials: Next Steps,” featuring Kathy McGuinn, AACN Director of Interprofessional Education and Practice. For more information and to register, click here.
- The Community Health Center, Inc. and the Weitzman Institute are offering The Transforming Primary Care Summer Fellowship, an online, short-term, highly focused opportunity to be on the frontline of primary care transformation. The organizations seek to engage a small group of graduates from the Class of 2021 to work with health center leadership focused on re-imagining care for historically underserved people. Fellows also will have an opportunity to participate in national programs. All work will be done remotely from the fellow’s current location, and fellows will be assigned a preceptor from within the leadership of CHC and the Weitzman Institute. The application deadline is May 28.
Coronavirus Resources for Nurse Educators
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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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Latest Webinars and Resources
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Centers for Disease Control - COVID-19 Vaccine Webinar Series
Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for COVID-19: What You Need to Know
Wednesday, May 26, 8:30 am – 10:00 am CDT
Mayo Clinic
Emergency Nurses Association Vaccine Toolkit
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Latest School News
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Durham Community Connections Stay Strong During Pandemic
Duke University - May 19, 2021
UWO Students Get Hands-on Experience Administering Vaccines to Community
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - May 18, 2021
Orvis Nursing Students Graduate Despite Turmoil and Personal Tragedy
University of Nevada, Reno - May 13, 2021
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See Past Issues of AACN News Watch