Condition 1: Institutional Condition: Institutional Infrastructure & Capacity
Webinar Details
Grounded in insights from the Future of Nursing 2020–2030 report and AACN’s Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, this session examines how academic nursing programs can build and sustain the physical, technological, human, and financial infrastructure required to thrive in an evolving education and healthcare landscape.
More than bricks and budgets, strong infrastructure provides the structural foundation that supports the Humanistic Conditions at the heart of the Ecosystem—fostering safety, connection, value, support, and preparedness across the academic nursing community. When infrastructure decisions are intentionally aligned with mission, resources, and culture, they promote innovation, operational efficiency, and institutional resilience.
Participants will explore how the Institutional Infrastructure and Capacity Condition functions within the Operational Core of the Ecosystem and learn strategies for aligning systems with AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) vision. The session emphasizes the relationship between infrastructure, well-being, and excellence —demonstrating that lasting success in academic nursing begins with systems designed to support people, purpose, and progress.
Learning Outcomes
After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to:
- Identify the essential elements of institutional infrastructure that influence excellence in academic nursing.
- Evaluate how infrastructure decisions affect the Humanistic Conditions—including well-being, preparedness, and engagement—of students, staff, and faculty.
- Apply strategies to strengthen Institutional Infrastructure and Capacity in ways that foster innovation, effective and fair resource use, and whole-person support across the academic community.
- Explain how the Operational Core of the Ecosystem connects infrastructure decisions to sustainable institutional excellence and alignment with AACN’s ACE vision.
About the Ecosystem
The AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing is a comprehensive, evidence-informed framework that aligns mission, people, and systems to create environments where all students, staff, and faculty can thrive.
At its foundation are the Humanistic Conditions—Healthy, Psychologically Safe, Connected, Supported, Valued, and Prepared—that enable individuals to achieve their best. These are integrated through the Ecosystem’s three Cores:
- Human Core, which centers on the Humanistic Conditions that foster well-being and engagement.
- Operational Core, which aligns systems and strategies through five Institutional Conditions: Infrastructure and Capacity, Climate and Intergroup Relations, Education and Scholarship, Access and Success, and Community Engagement.
- Institutional Core, which grounds excellence in shared culture through five Cultural Conditions: Mission, Vision, Values, Traditions, and Norms.
The Operational Core is supported by a digital Ecosystem Toolkit that translates the framework into actionable strategies and measurable outcomes, including:
- Strategies that strengthen policies, practices, and structures
- Scenarios illustrating real-world challenges and solutions—each intentionally linked to the Humanistic Conditions of the Ecosystem and aligned with relevant AACN Essentials
- Reflection questions that promote dialogue, planning, and innovation
- Dashboards and planning tools to monitor progress and outcomes
- Curated supporting literature that provides evidence and context for implementation
Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.
Speakers
Wanda Thruston, DNP, APRN, RN
Director of Access and Engagement
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
Dr. Wanda Thruston, Director of Access and Engagement at AACN, is a national and international leader in academic nursing and advancing fair and just access to health and well-being for all, with expertise in institutional transformation, leadership development, and systems-level strategy. A Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar Fellow, she brings decades of experience in clinical practice with under-resourced populations, health policy, and academic leadership.
At AACN, Dr. Thruston led the development and implementation of the Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, a strategic framework designed to enhance institutional effectiveness and promote the success of students, staff, and faculty. She provides technical assistance, training, and consultation to HRSA-funded nursing schools and AACN member institutions—supporting strategies to expand access, strengthen student achievement, improve the institutional climate, and build academic environments where all individuals feel supported and prepared to succeed.
Previously, she served as Special Assistant to the Dean at Indiana University School of Nursing, where she led the development of the Diversity Strategic Plan and co-created a university-wide pathway for DEI faculty promotion. She also led a large-scale assessment of health and well-being for Indiana’s second-largest K–12 district to inform fair and effective resource allocation that meets the needs of all students. Dr. Thruston is committed to advancing environments where students, staff, and faculty thrive.
Pricing and CE Credit
This webinar is free to deans, faculty, staff and students from AACN member schools of nursing. All non-member audiences will be required to pay a $59 webinar fee.
Continuing Nursing Education
One nursing continuing professional development (NCPD) credit is associated with this webinar; attendees must be present for the entire webinar and complete the evaluation to receive a certificate of completion.
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.