Webinar Details

This session explores how academic nursing programs can establish and sustain meaningful partnerships with communities to advance health, enhance education, and prepare practice-ready graduates. Grounded in the AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, the session focuses on the Community Engagement Condition within the Operational Core, emphasizing that authentic, reciprocal relationships are essential to academic excellence and social impact.

Participants will examine how community-engaged partnerships enrich learning, support workforce development, and strengthen alignment between academic missions and public needs. The session highlights strategies for designing community-based experiences that build trust, promote shared learning, and address real-world health priorities—particularly those affecting under-resourced or historically underserved populations.

Attention will also be given to integrating technology, global perspectives, and accountability measures that ensure long-term impact and mutual benefit. By linking community partnerships to the Humanistic Conditions of connection, value, and purpose—and to AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) vision—this session demonstrates how meaningful engagement bridges education, practice, and policy to create enduring pathways for excellence and collective well-being.

Learning Outcomes

After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Explain the value of sustained, reciprocal community engagement in preparing students, supporting faculty and staff, and advancing institutional relevance.
• Evaluate how community partnerships influence student learning, clinical competence, and understanding of health systems and population needs.
• Apply strategies to design, evaluate, and strengthen community-based experiences that promote mutual benefit, trust, and long-term connection between nursing programs and the populations they serve.
• Describe how the Community Engagement Condition within the Operational Core supports the ACE vision by connecting academic nursing with communities to achieve shared goals for education, health, and workforce readiness.

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.

Webinar Details

This session explores how academic nursing programs can enhance access and promote success for students, staff, and faculty by identifying and addressing structural, cultural, and procedural barriers that impact participation and achievement. Grounded in the AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, the session examines the Access and Success Condition within the Operational Core, emphasizing the creation of clear pathways, equitable resource distribution, and responsive support systems that reflect the needs of all members of the academic community—including nontraditional learners and individuals managing complex life circumstances.

Participants will explore data-informed strategies for admissions, hiring, retention, and professional development, along with continuous improvement practices that foster accountability, adaptability, and lasting impact. Discussion will also highlight the relationship between Humanistic Conditions—particularly support, connection, and preparedness—and the institutional systems that enable individuals to thrive.

By linking these principles to AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) vision, this session demonstrates how intentional, evidence-based approaches to access and success contribute to institutional excellence, workforce readiness, and the advancement of academic nursing.

Learning Outcomes

After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Evaluate institutional practices that influence access, retention, and advancement for students, staff, and faculty.
• Identify structural and situational barriers that limit success across roles, including unclear pathways, limited resources, and restrictive processes.
• Apply strategies to build clear, mission-aligned pathways and support systems that promote growth, recognition, and success for all members of the academic nursing community.
• Explain how the Access and Success Condition within the Operational Core supports the ACE vision by aligning institutional structures with the human and educational needs of a dynamic nursing workforce.

About the Ecosystem

The AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing is a compr ehensive, 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.

Webinar Details

This session examines how curriculum, teaching, and scholarship shape academic excellence, institutional impact, and workforce readiness in academic nursing. Grounded in the AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, the session explores the Education and Scholarship Condition within the Operational Core, emphasizing education as a whole-person process—where students, staff, and faculty are supported to grow as scholars, educators, and leaders.

Participants will explore strategies to align educational and scholarly practices with the AACN Essentials, promote access to quality learning and well-being, and create psychologically safe and intellectually vibrant environments that nurture curiosity and innovation. The session highlights universal design for learning, mentorship, collaborative inquiry, and technology-enhanced learning as powerful tools for preparing a responsive and practice-ready nursing workforce.

Discussion will also consider how the Humanistic Conditions—particularly support, value, and preparedness—intersect with teaching and scholarship to foster lifelong learning and professional growth across roles.

Learning Outcomes

After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Describe how integrated approaches to education and scholarship strengthen institutional effectiveness, professional preparedness, and individual growth.
• Identify strategies to enhance curriculum, research, and professional development environments that support engagement, innovation, and well-being across students, staff, and faculty.
• Implement approaches that advance teaching excellence, mentorship, scholarly productivity, and universal learning experiences across the academic nursing continuum.
• Explain how the Education and Scholarship Condition within the Operational Core supports AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) vision by aligning learning, discovery, and practice for sustained excellence.

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 stu dents, 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.

Webinar Details

This session explores how interpersonal norms, communication practices, and power dynamics shape the lived experiences of students, staff, and faculty within academic nursing environments. Grounded in the AACN Ecosystem of Excellence in Academic Nursing, participants will examine how the Climate and Intergroup Relations Condition, within the Operational Core, influences well-being, collaboration, and long-term academic and professional success.

The session highlights the connection between institutional climate and the Humanistic Conditions—particularly psychological safety, connection, support, and value—and demonstrates how these elements reinforce one another to sustain excellence. Participants will engage in strategies to promote psychological safety, build trust, foster belonging, and strengthen accountability across all roles and levels.

Discussion will also explore how institutional histories, structures, and digital communication tools influence intergroup relations—and how intentional, evidence-informed actions can help nursing programs cultivate climates where every individual feels respected, supported, and prepared to thrive.

Learning Outcomes

After participating in this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Explain how institutional climate and intergroup relations influence the well-being, engagement, and performance of students, staff, and faculty.
• Recognize early signs of unhealthy or unsafe climates—such as relational exclusion, incivility, or misuse of power—that disrupt collaboration and learning.
• Apply strategies that foster respectful communication, trust-building, and shared accountability across the academic nursing community.
• Describe how the Operational Core and Humanistic Conditions within the Ecosystem of Excellence guide the creation of climates that align with AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) vision.

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 H umanistic 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.

This webinar is hosted by AACN’s Faculty Leadership Network (FLN).

Webinar Details

We must highlight the importance of professional identity in nursing, as it is a concept that not all nursing faculty are familiar with despite accreditation requirements. Professional identity in nursing is defined as "a sense of oneself, and in relationship with others, that is influenced by characteristics, norms, and values of the nursing discipline, resulting in an individual thinking, acting, and feeling like a nurse." Our goal is for all nursing faculty to understand that what was previously referred to as professionalism has evolved and is now more accurately described as professional identity.

Outcomes:

1. Examine the term professional identity from an interdisciplinary perspective.  
2. Discuss research findings that indicate a strong professional identity yields better patient outcomes.  
3. Describe strategies for faculty to build new knowledge about professional identity in nursing, in teaching, and leading. 

Note: Recording of the webinar will be available soon after the webinar airs. Visit AACN's On-Demand Webinars to watch.