Industry News

JAMA Network Open

Changes in Registered Nurse Employment Plans and Workplace Assessments

Published July 18, 2024 in JAMA Network Open, Dr. Christopher Friese and colleagues from the University of Michigan explored Changes in Registered Nurse Employment Plans and Workplace Assessments. In response to reports that nurses are planning to leave the profession in increasing numbers, the authors examined actual changes in RN employment plans and workplace assessments from 2022 to 2023. Study results showed that even though workplace conditions improved, planned departure rates, abusive or violent events, and unsafe conditions remained high, and understaffing was a primary concern. The authors call for health system leaders and policymakers to prioritize initiatives that support nurse retention and reduce potential workforce instability.

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American Academy of Nursing

American Academy of Nursing Continues to Condemn Gun Violence

On July 15, 2024, the American Academy of Nursing issued a statement strongly condemning the shooting that occurred at a rally for former President Donald Trump, which tragically resulted in injury and loss of life. AACN joins with the Academy in applauding the emergency personnel and healthcare providers who responded promptly to this crisis. The Academy supports the U.S. Surgeon General's recent declaration of gun violence as a public health crisis and stands ready to work with policymakers to enact policy changes to prevent future tragedies from occurring. To review the Academy’s nine policy recommendations for reducing firearm violence and promoting public safety, click here.

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Journal of Nursing Regulation

Highlights of the Nurse Licensure Compact Survey Findings: Nurses’ Needs, Experiences, and Views

In the July 2024 Journal of Nursing Regulation, Dr. Elizabeth Zhong and colleagues from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) published Highlights of the Nurse Licensure Compact Survey Findings: Nurses’ Needs, Experiences, and Views. Developed by NCSBN, the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is designed to promote nurse mobility, increase access to care, and advance uniform licensure requirements. In a survey of more than 66,000 RNs across 5 states, 45% of respondents reported providing nursing services outside their state of licensure; 96% of those who practiced under their multistate license identified the NLC as beneficial to their nursing practice.

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National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine

Ending Unequal Treatment: Strategies to Achieve Equitable Health Care and Optimal Health for All

On June 26, 2024, the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine announced a new publication titled Ending Unequal Treatment: Strategies to Achieve Equitable Health Care and Optimal Health for All. Developed by an expert committee, the report underscores the lack of progress made since the call to action issued in the 2003 Institute of Medicine report on Unequal Treatment: Confronting Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health Care. The new report reviews the major drivers of healthcare disparities, provides insight into successful and unsuccessful interventions, identifies gaps in the evidence base, and makes recommendations to advance health equity.

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Journal of Nursing Education

Supporting Nursing Student and Nursing Workforce Wellness Through Academic-Practice Partnerships

In the June 2024 Journal of Nursing Education, Dr. Sharon Little and Dr. Mona Newsome Wicks with The University of Tennessee Health Science Center published a guest editorial on Supporting Nursing Student and Nursing Workforce Wellness Through Academic-Practice Partnerships. The authors call on nurse faculty to consider new approaches to helping students manage stress, build resilience, and prioritize wellness. The article highlights the importance of using academic-practice partnerships to create learning and work environments that foster “nurse and student well-being, wellness, and resilience” with the goal of preventing burnout and promoting optimal patient outcomes.

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Medical Care

Alternative Models of Nurse Staffing May Be Dangerous in High-Stakes Hospital Care

In the July 2024 issue of Medical Care, Dr. Karen Lasater and colleagues from the University of Pennsylvania issued results from a new study which found that Alternative Models of Nurse Staffing May Be Dangerous in High-Stakes Hospital Care. In a review of more than 6.5 million Medicare patient records, the article explores the impact of reducing the proportion of RNs to total nursing staff in hospitals on patients, hospitals, and payers. The research team found a 10 percentage-point reduction in RNs was associated with 7% higher odds of in-hospital death, 1% higher odds of readmission, 2% increase in expected days, and lower patient satisfaction. This translates to 10,947 avoidable deaths and 5,207 avoidable readmissions annually, generating roughly $68.5 million in additional Medicare costs.

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U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO)

Higher Education: Education Could Improve Information on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

On May 29, the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) released a report titled Higher Education: Education Could Improve Information on Accommodations for Students with Disabilities. With more students with disabilities pursuing college than in years past, the GAO was asked to review issues regarding accessibility and accommodations for this student population. This report examines (1) trends in and characteristics of the population of college students with disabilities; (2) any challenges to accessing education that students with disabilities face in college and how colleges have mitigated them, and (3) the extent to which the U.S. Department of Education helps mitigate these challenges.

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The Daily Nurse

Survey Paints Enrollment Picture

On June 3, 2024, writer Louis Pilla with The Daily Nurse, a blog produced by Springer Publishing, contributed a new article titled Survey Paints Enrollment Picture. The author highlights findings from AACN’s 2023 annual survey of baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs. The article features insights from Dr. Jean Giddens, chair of the AACN Board of Directors and dean of the University of Kansas School of Nursing, on enrollment trends by program level, including decreases in PhD and RN-to-BSN programs. Dr. Giddens also commented on ongoing challenges related to finding faculty and securing clinical learning sites.

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National Council of State Boards of Nursing

Fraud Detection Guidance for Employers and Educators

On May 22, 2024, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) released a statement titled Fraud Detection Guidance for Employers and Educators to provide direction on how to detect individuals using fake credentials to enroll in a nursing program, apply for a license, or obtain employment. “Fraud in nursing is a serious health concern posing a threat to patients and eroding their confidence in the profession. This statement is designed to increase awareness and help implement methods of fraud detection and prevention,” said NCSBN’s Dr. Nancy Spector. The statement offers 10 recommendations to strengthen fraud detection processes that may already be in place at your institution.

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Journal of Nursing Care Quality

DNP-Authored Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 2012-2018

In the July/September 2024 Journal of Nursing Care Quality, Dr. Susan Cortez from Chamberlain University and colleagues published an article titled DNP-Authored Articles in Peer-Reviewed Journals 2012-2018. The primary aim of this study was to quantify, analyze, and categorize DNP-authored publications in peer-reviewed journals over a 10-year period. The authors found 3,839 journal articles with at least one DNP-prepared nurse author. The majority of publications focused on practice (40%), nursing (17%), and education (15%). This study demonstrates the proliferation of DNP-authored publications, which may indicate an increase in nursing care quality initiatives in the clinical setting.

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Journal of Professional Nursing

Starting from Scratch: Creating a University Wellness Initiative

Published ahead of print by the Journal of Professional Nursing, Dr. Harriet Feldman from Pace University contributed an article titled Starting from Scratch: Creating a University Wellness Initiative. This article describes how one school of nursing developed a university-wide effort to address mental health challenges facing the student population. The author outlines the creation of a 3-year strategic plan to guide this effort, which included hiring a Chief Wellness Officer, developing an interactive website, engaging with the larger community, and offering programming across 8 dimensions of wellness: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual.

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Journal of Nursing Education

Nursing Education and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

In the July 2024 Journal of Nursing Education, Dr. Amy Barton from the University of Colorado published an editorial titled Nursing Education and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In 2015, leaders at the United Nations agreed on seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. The author considers how integration of the SDGs into nursing curricula aligns with the 2021 AACN Essentials, particularly in the areas of Knowledge for Nursing Practice (Domain 1); Population Health (Domain 3); and Systems-Based Practice (Domain 7).

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Journal of Professional Nursing

Embarking on a Cultural Transformation Within a School of Nursing

In the September-October 2024 Journal of Professional Nursing, Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer from the University of Minnesota and colleagues offer insights on Embarking on a Cultural Transformation Within a School of Nursing. Nursing schools nationwide are encountering fiscal, programmatic, and leadership challenges exacerbated by a fragmented healthcare system. This article focuses on how the University of Minnesota navigated challenges familiar to nursing schools using strategies that resulted in significant and sustained culture change. Recommendations are made for schools on their own transformative journeys.

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Becker's Clinical Leadership

'Who Will Teach Them?': 7 Experts on Bolstering the Nurse Educator Pipeline

On June 24, 20204, reporter Ashleigh Hollowell with Becker’s Clinical Leadership published an article titled 'Who Will Teach Them?': 7 Experts on Bolstering the Nurse Educator Pipeline. Given the growing demand for nurse educators, the author explores how partnerships between nursing schools and hospitals can help address the faculty shortage. The article features insights from experts at several AACN member schools, including Duquesne University, Old Dominion University, Touro University, and UT Health Houston.

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Journal of Professional Nursing

Addressing the 2021 Essentials with New Approaches for Developing Leadership, Resilience, and Self-Care/Well-Being in Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students

On June 14, 2024, the Journal of Professional Nursing published an article by Dr. Catherine Stubin from the Rutgers University-Camden and colleagues titled Addressing the 2021 Essentials with New Approaches for Developing Leadership, Resilience, and Self-Care/Well-Being in Undergraduate Baccalaureate Nursing Students. As one of 10 nursing schools selected by AACN to participate in a national pilot study, the authors detail their work to adapt undergraduate nursing curriculum in key areas that meet today’s Essentials. The article identifies 13 learning strategies designed to meet competencies and sub-competencies related to Professionalism (Domain 9) and Personal, Professional, and Leadership Development (Domain 10).

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Creative Nursing

Advancing Health Equity Through Artificial Intelligence: An Educational Framework for Preparing Nurses in Clinical Practice and Research.

Published in the May 2024 issue of Creative Nursing, Dr. Michael Cary and colleagues from Duke University explore Advancing Health Equity Through Artificial Intelligence: An Educational Framework for Preparing Nurses in Clinical Practice and Research. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into health care offers the potential to enhance patient care, improve diagnostic precision, and broaden access to health care. This article proposes a framework for nurses which includes AI principles, skills, competencies, and curriculum development focused on the practical use of AI to help achieve health equity. AACN’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, Dr. Brigit Carter, co-authored this piece.

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Nursing Outlook

Nurse Practitioners’ Degrees and Associations with Time Use, Functional Autonomy, and Job Outcomes

In the July-August 2024 issue of Nursing Outlook, Dr. Alex Hoyt from the MGH Institute of Health Professions and colleagues explored Nurse Practitioners’ Degrees and Associations with Time Use, Functional Autonomy, and Job Outcomes. Though the Doctor of Nursing Practice is recommended for entry into NP practice, few comparative studies have assessed practice differences among NPs with and without a doctorate. The authors found that differences in NP educational pathways are associated with distinct practice roles. DNP-prepared NPs enjoyed higher levels of functional autonomy and were more likely to focus on teaching and administration than master’s-prepared NPs.

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Medical Care

There’s No Substitute for Adequate Registered Nurse Staffing

On May 21, 2024, in the journal Medical Care, Dr. Patricia Patrician and Dr. Tracey Dick from the University of Alabama at Birmingham published an editorial titled There’s No Substitute for Adequate Registered Nurse Staffing. The article underscores the strong connection between supporting team nursing models and quality patient care. The authors conclude that “the increased complexity of inpatients combined with the high chance of adverse events and the empirical evidence suggesting better care with more RNs should give pause to those considering models of care that replace RNs with less skilled caregivers.”

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