Published March 30, 2022 
AACN’s 2022 Deans Annual Meeting and Student Policy Summit Advocacy Recap
As the 2022 Deans Annual Meeting and Student Policy Summit concludes, we want to thank our AACN Advocates, members, and students for their engagement. Below are a few highlights from the government affairs and policy lens.
Dr. Janie Heath Receives the 2021 AACN Advocate of the Year Award
Congratulations to Janie Heath, PhD, APRN-BC, FAAN, FNAP, FAANP, Dean and Warwick Professor of Nursing for the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, who received the 2021 AACN Advocate of the Year Award. This honor is granted annually during the Deans Annual Meeting to one distinguished member whose advocacy over the past year has effectively promoted academic nursing priorities in the federal sphere. Dr. Heath has been a lifelong advocate for our nation’s nursing students and the profession, including as a State Grassroots Liaison, as a leader when going up to Capitol Hill or advocating virtually, and encouraging students to participate in AACN’s Student Policy Summit. Dr. Health serves as an inspiring example not only for her colleagues in Kentucky, but across the nation. Thank you for all you do and congratulations, Dr. Heath!
AACN’s Spring 2022 Virtual Advocacy Efforts
We are proud to report that our AACN Advocates sent 583 emails to Congressional offices asking them to:
- Cosponsor and pass the Future Advancement of Academic Nursing (FAAN) Act (S.246/H.R. 851);
- Cosponsor and pass the Student Assisted Vaccination Effort (SAVE) Act (S.2114/H.R 5699); and
- Support at least $530 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce Development Programs and at least $210 million for the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) in FY 2023.
Thank you to all who sent messages as we champion academic nursing’s priorities. We look forward to your continued efforts to support policy efforts that benefit nursing schools, faculty, and students.
Highlights from AACN’s 2022 Student Policy Summit
AACN’s 2022 Student Policy Summit, our first in-person event in two years, included nearly 90 baccalaureate and graduate nursing students from 24 states and 53 schools. During the two-day event, students attended live sessions focused on the federal policy process and nursing’s role in professional advocacy. Some speakers included Dr. Shannon Zenk, Director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, CAPT. Carolyn Currie from Uniformed Services University for Health Sciences, a former member of Congress, and our keynote speaker RADM Susan Orsega, Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Health and the U.S. Surgeon General, along with many more!
During the Summit, students were able to interact directly with speakers as well as attend networking sessions to meet their peers across the nation. Below are some highlights from this year’s event. We look forward to another successful Summit in 2023!
