A Structured Institutional Strengthening Model for Advancing Academic Nursing Workforce Excellence
Webinar Details
Academic nursing programs operate within complex systems that shape educational environments, workforce preparation, and community impact. This webinar introduces a structured institutional strengthening model designed to help schools move from fragmented efforts to aligned, system-level improvement. Participants will learn how the ACE Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing is used to examine institutional conditions, apply a six-phase strengthening process, and support sustained improvement across academic environments. The session will also highlight participation opportunities and outline how institutions can engage in the National Implementation Initiative.
Outcomes:
- Introduce the Institutional Strengthening Initiative
- Explain how institutions use the Ecosystem
- Walk through the six-phase strengthening model
- Describe participation opportunities
- Share how to get involved
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 AACN member and non-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 participated in creating 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. She is a fellow of the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars and the American Academy of Nursing (Oct. 2025).
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.