Teaching Resources

AACN's education resources, curriculum guidelines, and tool kits provide a framework for positioning baccalaureate and graduate-degree nursing programs to meet the healthcare challenges of a new century. Nursing deans and faculty nationwide have used the following resources produced by AACN to prepare practice-ready nurses.

APRN Education

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Resources

View Resources

Competency-Based Education

Principles and benefits of competency-based education (CBE)

Learn More

Curriculum Guidelines

Guidelines to prepare highly qualified nurses for a healthcare system in continual change

Learn More

End-of-Life-Care (ELNEC)

Resources in palliative care for students, practicing nurses, and healthcare professionals

Visit ELNEC's website

Essentials Tool Kit

Resources designed to assist in implementing the 2021 Essentials

View Tool Kit

Faculty Tool Kits

A collection of tool kits for academic nursing faculty

View Tool Kits

Interprofessional Education

Competencies, publications, and resources in interprofessional education

Learn more

Online Learning Center

Webinars and modules exclusively for nurse educators

Visit Online Learning Center

Quality & Safety Education

QSEN module series and resources on quality and safety competencies

View Resources

Start Your Essentials Journey

This video is an essential starting point for those new to The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education. It provides a comprehensive overview of the Essentials website, guiding you through key resources and tools for implementing competency-based education (CBE). Watch now to take your first steps with confidence.

Get Started

Featured Publications

Advancing Healthcare Transformation - A New Era for Academic Nursing

New Era for Academic Nursing

Advancing Healthcare Transformation: A New Era for Academic Nursing addresses how schools of nursing with baccalaureate and higher degrees can amplify their role in improving health and health care at the local, state, and national levels. Read more about the power and possibilities connected to effective academic-practice partnerships.

Download

New CNL Master's and Doctoral Competencies

AACN has released a new set of competencies to prepare Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNLs) at the master’s and doctoral levels to assist faculty in adapting programs to prepare graduates for contemporary practice and to provide a new pathway to advance in the CNL role.

Download

Standards for Quality Nurse Practitioner Education

The National Task Force on Quality Nurse Practitioner Education, a coalition of 19 national nursing organizations, has developed a new set of standards designed to ensure quality in graduate programs that prepare nurse practitioners (NPs). Criteria will help programs update curriculum and clinical experiences to better prepare graduates for contemporary NP practice.

Download

Essentials Coaching Program

Does your school of nursing need guidance on how to adapt your curriculum to align with the 2021 AACN Essentials and transition to competency-based education (CBE)? AACN’s Essentials Coaching Program is here to help! Offered on a contract-basis, this program provides expert coaches on request to help meet institution-specific needs for schools at all stages of Essentials implementation.

Learn more