“The imperative to evolve [nursing education] is driven by the needs of students, employers, and consumers of care. Nurse educators must be nimble enough to embrace new technology and explore fresh approaches to teaching designed to satisfy the diverse learning needs of contemporary nursing students (p.3).”
From AACN’s Vision for Academic Nursing (2019)
Too often, calls for transformation and change do not come with a roadmap or a clear idea about where we are headed. Not true in nursing education! The new Essentials, endorsed by the AACN membership in April 2021, provide a blueprint for evolving how to prepare nurses in baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing programs. Built on a strong foundation of nursing as a discipline, the benefits of a liberal education, and the principles of competency-based education, the re-envisioned Essentials present an innovative framework for preparing nurses for contemporary and future practice.