AACN and AONE Join Forces to Advance New Models of Care and Address Nursing Workforce Issues

Leaders with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) today announced the formation of a new national strategy designed to strengthen alignment between practice and academia with the goal of advancing innovative solutions to meeting the demands of the current and future healthcare system. As part of its mission, the newly formed AACN-AONE Advisory Committee will “co-create models of care, workforce readiness, and a lifelong continuum of learning to optimize the impact of nursing on health and wellness.”

“AACN and AONE have made the commitment to speaking in ONE voice on the need to work together to create new models of care and nursing education that support a highly educated nursing workforce,” said committee co-chair Judy Beal. “We acknowledge the urgency with which we must as partners address serious workforce issues that have an impact on the health and wellness of not only the nation but also our nurses. While the AACN and AONE have been partnering since 2013 on the development of guiding principles and a toolkit for leaders to enhance academic-practice partnerships, the AACN 2016 report, Advancing Health Care Transformation--A New Era for Academic Nursing, has created new momentum for action. I am honored and privileged to serve as co-chair of this accomplished team of leaders from service and academia.”

At its May meeting in Washington, D.C., the committee outlined two strategic priorities: 1) develop and implement a campaign for nursing leaders from academia and practice to influence appropriate leaders that they must partner to address expected workforce shortages through models of care and models of learning; 2) encourage and facilitate academic and practice leaders to identify opportunities and challenges to forging effective partnerships.

“The public trusts that an expert nurse will care for them in their time of need. We have the responsibility to live up to that trust,” said committee co-chair Deborah Zimmerman. “It is time for us to change traditional paradigms and ensure synergy between the needs of the population, sufficient nurses across the continuum, and that models of care impacting health align. I am humbled and honored to work with this team of national leaders on such important work.”
Members of the AACN-AONE Advisory Committee include:

AACN Representatives

• Judy Beal (co-chair), dean, School of Nursing and Health Services, Simmons College
• Jill Berg, president, Columbia College of Nursing
• Kathleen Gallo, dean, Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies
• Greer Glazer, dean, University of Cincinnati College of Nursing
• Kathy McGuinn, AACN director of interprofessional education and practice partnerships
• Randolph Rasch, Michigan State University College of Nursing
• Joan Stanley, AACN chief academic officer
• Kristen Swanson, dean, Seattle University College of Nursing
• Deborah Trautman, AACN president and chief executive officer
• Joan Vitello, dean, University of Massachusetts Medical School Graduate School of Nursing

AONE Representatives

• Deborah Zimmermann (co-chair), chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System
• Joyce Batcheller, nurse executive advisor, leadership, The Center for the Advancement of Healthcare Professionals
• Esther Chipps, clinical nurse scientist, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
• Sue Gergely, AONE acting chief executive officer
• Mary Ann Fuchs, vice president of patient care and system chief nurse executive,  Duke University Health System
• Julie Holt, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient services, The Christ Hospital Network
• Cynthia L. McCarthy, chief nursing executive, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Stephenville
• Sharon H. Pappas, chief nurse executive, Emory Healthcare

The new AACN-AONE Advisory Committee will advance previous collaborative work advanced by the two nursing organizations, which centered on developing exemplar academic-practice partnerships. For more information on this initiative, including guiding principles for developing strong collaborations, see http://www.aacnnursing.org/Academic-Practice-Partnerships.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) is the national voice for academic nursing education. AACN works to establish quality standards for nursing education; assists schools in implementing those standards; influences the nursing profession to improve health care; and promotes public support for professional nursing education, research, and practice.www.aacnnursing.org

The American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) is the leading voice of nursing leadership in health care. Since 1967, AONE has provided leadership, professional development, advocacy and research to advance nursing practice and patient care, promote nursing leadership excellence and shape public policy for health care nationwide. AONE is a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association. www.aone.org