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May 19, 2021 | XXV, Issue Number 10
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Since my last Member Update on May 5, there has been a sea change in the conversation, colleagues. Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions announced that to be safe, those of us who have been fully vaccinated will no longer need to wear a mask outdoors or in. Our chances of contracting the virus are very slim, as is the possibility that we will transmit the disease to others. What a wonderful message for Nurses Month and this second Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
The disease has not been eradicated, and it remains virulent in India and other countries, but here in the United States we can begin to hug again and feel safe in most environments. We still need to wear our masks in public transportation and health care and other congregate settings, follow local mask ordinances, and provide education about the importance of the vaccine. Now, though, we can look to the future with a degree of optimism that that has been missing for some time. Stay vigilant in using the best public health practices: Continue to wash your hands on a regular basis and encourage family, friends, colleagues and others to get their vaccinations—two if needed.
There is no minimizing the effects of the pandemic on the health of our nation and the global community. My heart goes out to those of you who had a personal loss during the past 14 to 15 months. Even if your loved ones did not have COVID-19, you were unable to be with them in the hospital or rehab setting, and that was tragic. There are many, many stories, and it will take a long time for us to come to grips with what we’ve been through. |
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Changes from the Pandemic
The effects of the pandemic on nursing and nursing education have been profound. As educators you know what you faced last spring and how you responded, very often with the support of the NLN. Our staff in the NLN Division for Innovation in Education Excellence were gratified to be able to provide our Taking Aim webinar series and so many timely resources. Our fellow nursing organizations in the Tri-Council for Nursing also struggled to support their members. Knowing that the effects of the pandemic would be far-reaching and long term, we decided to meet virtually in December to identify lessons learned and brainstorm opportunities for transforming nursing and health care for the decades ahead. |
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More than 120 leaders in nursing and health care education, practice, and policy took part in our summit, and in time for Nurses Week, we published an in-depth report, Transforming Together: Implications and Opportunities from the COVID-19 Pandemic for Nursing Education, Practice, and Regulation.
The report details a blueprint for action that spans care settings, educational environments, regulatory agencies, and policy forums and presents a clear mandate to foster new forms of cross-sector collaboration. We expect that it will inspire innovative disruption around six distinctive themes: Equity and Health Equity; Ethics; Nursing Workforce; Innovation; Interprofessional Emergency Planning and Response; and Mental Health and Well-being. Within each category, we outline priority items that present promising areas of opportunity and an actionable framework with sector-specific implications. For example, the education sector is advised to expand course curricula related to public health, crisis management, health equity, mental health, and social determinants of health.
As always, the NLN is committed to help you as you absorb the implications of the report and strengthen your curricula. It is a constant challenge, isn’t it, to educate nurses for a transformed health care environment, but we are ever-vigilant and work with others to expand the professional development opportunities we are able to offer.
Taking Aim at Structural Racism
For example, with the support of AMN Health Care and Elsevier Nursing and Health Education, we are transforming our Taking Aim Initiative into a year-long series of webinars, an interactive workshop, and resources developed and presented by thought leaders and scholars in nursing education. These offerings will help you become better informed about the impact of structural racism, diversity and inclusion, and equity on nursing education.
The first two of four webinars have already been set. Dr. Kenya Beard, associate provost of Chamberlain University, will facilitate the introductory webinar on May 26; and Dr. Cynthia Clarke, founder of Civility Matters™, will lead a session on civility in the health care environment on June 17. It is important to talk openly about sensitive issues of bias and racism in nursing education and health care, and we are grateful to AMN Health Care and Elsevier Education for enabling us to provide these exceptional forums where that can happen. |
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Expanding the ACE Series
Another recent grant to the NLN – this one a two-year grant from the Hearst Foundations – will allow us to expand our Advancing Care Excellence for Vulnerable Populations series to the LGBTQ+ community. ACE+ builds on the successful model of evidence-based, classroom-ready resources to prepare nursing students to provide appropriate patient-centered, culturally sensitive care to LGBTQ+ patients. Individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer continue to suffer neglect of their distinctive health care needs and often report experiencing discrimination and lack of awareness and understanding on the part of health care professionals.
This grant from the Hearst Foundations will allow us to develop at least three ACE+ online teaching strategies and three unfolding cases to be offered through the unique ACE platform on the NLN website. After the resources have been developed, professional development webinars and workshops will introduce ACE+ and encourage its widespread integration into nursing curricula and instruction. |
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Let me remind you that the NLN ACE series is already comprehensive, with teaching strategies and resources adaptable to all levels of higher education in nursing and, thanks to our funders, available at no charge to you. Look for ACE.S (seniors), ACE.Z (patients with Alzheimer’s disease), ACE.C (caregivers), ACE.D (persons with disabilities), ACE.P (pediatrics), and ACE.V (veterans).
ACE.V reminds me of a two-day immersive workshop coming up: Integrating Veteran Health Care Competencies Across the Nursing Curriculum. Here the focus is on the nursing care of the veteran client and the ways in which veteran-related content can be seamlessly integrated into existing nursing curricula. Working in small groups with the facilitators, you will learn to transform your curriculum inclusive of veteran-care competencies in all nursing courses. The facilitators are Dr. Brenda Elliot of Messiah University, who served as a Nurse Corps officer in the US Army; Dr. Katie A. Chargualaf of the University of South Carolina at Aiken, who maintains programs of research focusing on military nurses, veterans, and nursing education and nurse retention; and Dr. Barbara Patterson of Widener University, distinguished scholar for the NLN Chamberlain University College of Nursing Center for the Advancement of the Science of Nursing Education.
NEP and NLN Foundation Updates
Barbara is also editor of the NLN research journal Nursing Education Perspectives. Where does she find the time? Speaking of NEP, the May-June issue is online now with a timely Research Brief by faculty at George Washington University, “Faculty Perceptions in Facilitating Success for Accelerated BSN Student Veterans.” The lead author is Dr. Gretchen Wiersma. NEP is available to you as a member benefit and you can subscribe to the current table of contents and be notified each time an article is published ahead of print.
Finally, I’d like to remind you that the deadline to apply for an NLN Foundation scholarship is this Friday, May 21. If you are enrolled in an advanced nursing degree program, apply now for up to $8,000 in funding. If you are studying in the field of aging, apply for an NLN-Home Instead scholarship. Your support for the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education makes our scholarship program possible. So, we welcome your donations, especially as we celebrate national and international nurses.
There, colleagues, I have given you a lot to digest but of course, there is always something new at the NLN. Stay safe and healthy. I’m looking forward to seeing you in person September 23-25 at the NLN Education Summit near Washington, DC. Let me close with best wishes once again for an excellent Nurses Month. |
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