Essentials Implementation Steering Committee & Contributors

Committee Charge:

  • Finalize the plan for the Implementation Roadmap of the 2021 Essentials
  • Provide broad-based oversight for the implementation process
  • Make ongoing recommendations for actions and activities related to the Roadmap
  • Oversee the work and progress of the Essentials Working Groups
  • Monitor for issues that impact significant sections of the AACN membership or present major challenges for the implementation process
  • Provide ongoing evaluation of the implementation processes and phase
  • Dale Beatty

    Dale Beatty, DNP

    Co-Chair

    Chief Nurse Executive, Stanford Health Care

  • Hyochol Brian Ahn

    Hyochol Brian Ahn, PhD

    Dean, University of Arizona

  • Kristine L'Ecuyer

    Kristine L'Ecuyer, PhD

    Associate Dean, Saint Louis University

  • Jennifer Stephenson Zip

    Jennifer Stephenson Zipp, PhD

    Executive Director, Maryland Organization of Nurse Leaders, Inc./Maryland Nurse Residency Collaborative

  • Susan Corbridge, PhD

    Staff Liaison

    Chief Education Innovation Officer, AACN
    scorbridge@aacnnursing.org

  • Julie Zerwic

    Julie Zerwic, PhD

    Co-Chair

    Dean, University of Iowa

  • Bimbola Akintade

    Bimbola Akintade, PhD

    Dean, East Carolina University

  • Susan Ruppert

    Susan Ruppert, PhD

    Associate Dean, Chair of Graduate Studies, University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston

  • Julie Sanford

    Julie Sanford, DNS

    Board Liaison

    Dean, The University of Alabama

Contributors

Working Group Charge:

The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education provides a framework for preparing nurses using a competency-based approach to education. Methods to best measure competency in nursing education need further exploration and a design that will challenge students and prepare them for practice. A working group comprised of multidisciplinary competency-based education (CBE) assessment experts has been created to guide this work. The working group will help to identify the role AACN should take in addressing competency assessment as well as possible strategies for competency assessment. The group understands that while educational approaches may vary, outcomes should not. Additionally, the working group will provide guidance regarding AACN’s role in faculty development in the area of assessment and evaluation.

  • Cynthia O'Neal


    Cynthia O'Neal, PhD, RN, Chair
    University of Texas Permian Basin
    Director of Nursing

  • Leah Burt


    Leah Burt, PhD, APRN-FPA, ANP-BC, CHSE, FAANP
    University of Illinois Chicago
    Director, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program
    Director, Simulation Assessment & Research

  • Phil Dickison


    Phil Dickison, PhD
    National Council of State Boards of Nursing
    Chief Executive Officer

  • Robert Englander


    Robert Englander, MD, MPH
    University of Illinois College of Medicine
    Visiting Clinical Professor, Department of Medical Education

  • Kara Hedvig Evans


    Kara Hedvig Evans, PhD, RN
    Atrium Health
    Director of Nursing Professional Development

     
  • Marie Gilbert


    Marie Gilbert, DNP, RN, CHSE-A, FSSH
    California State University, Fresno
    Director, Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing

  • Margaret Rauschenberger


    Margaret Rauschenberger, MSN
    Alverno College
    Dean Emerita

  • Megan Williams


    Megan Williams, EdD, MSN, RN, FNP, CNE
    University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor
    Division Chair, Acute, Tertiary and Specialty Care Innovations

  • Susan Corbridge, PhD, Staff Liaison
    Chief Education Innovation Officer
    scorbridge@aacnnursing.org

Group Charge: To identify progression indicators (observable behaviors) for each level for the sub competencies in each domain.

  • Cynthia O'Neal

    Cynthia O'Neal, PhD, Lead
    UT Health San Antonio
    Professor & Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies

  • Marcy Ainslie

    Marcy Ainslie, EdD
    University of New Hampshire
    Assistant Professor

  • Rebecca G. Davis

    Rebecca G. Davis, EdD
    University of Alabama in Huntsville
    Clinical Associate Professor

  • Nelda Godfrey

    Nelda Godfrey, PhD
    University of Kansas
    Associate Dean and Professor

  • Mary Ann Jessee

    Mary Ann Jessee, PhD
    Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
    Assistant Dean for Academics, Generalist Nursing Practice

  • Charla Long

    Charla Long, JD
    Competency-Based Education Network
    President

  • Margaret Rauschenberger

    Margaret Rauschenberger, MSN
    Alverno College
    Associate Dean of Nursing

  • Kristina Thomas Dreifuirst

    Kristina Thomas Dreifuerst, PhD
    Marquette University
    Director PhD Program and Professor

  • Megan Williams

    Megan Williams, EdD
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor

Group Charge: To identify and/or develop exemplars of experiential learning opportunities to include clusters of related competencies and sub competencies for formative and summative assessment of developing and developed competency achievement.

  • Carol Fowler-Durham

    Carol Fowler-Durham, EdD
    Lead
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Professor and Director, Education-Innovation-Simulation Learning Environment

  • Jennifer Alderman

    Jennifer Alderman, PhD
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor

  • Rebecca Ellis

    Rebecca Ellis, PhD
    Indiana University
    Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs

  • Marie Gilbert

    Marie Gilbert, DNP
    California State University, Fresno
    Director, Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing

  • Ashley A. Kellish

    Ashley A. Kellish, DNP
    The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
    Associate Professor

  • Patricia Kyriakidis

    Patricia Kyriakidis, PhD
    NovEx Novice to Expert Learning, LLC
    CEO and Co-Founder

  • Cynthia Price

    Cynthia Price, MSMS
    AdventHealth
    Senior Simulation Learning Strategist

Become an Essentials Champion

Become an Essentials Champion

AACN is looking for each member school to identify one lead faculty member to serve as an Essentials Champion. These individuals will be your school’s resident contact and communication liaison who will have access to a new network of leaders engaged in Essentials implementation. Champions will be encouraged to bring forward issues, ask questions, and share ideas during virtual Q & A sessions held each quarter with AACN staff leaders.

How to Sign Up

Deans are encouraged to identify their school’s champion by completing a short online form.

Complete the Form

 

Contact AACN

For questions about Essentials programs, implementation efforts, resources, and more, please contact essentials@aacnnursing.org or the following AACN staff member for assistance.

Susan Corbridge, PhD
Chief Nursing Education Innovation Officer
scorbridge@aacnnursing.org