NLN Calls New Federal Revenue Stream to Fund Clinical Training for Advanced Practice RNs 'Historic for Nursing Community'

Academic-Practice Partnerships to Support Graduate Nursing Education (GNE) Demonstration Bring Full Circle Reform Process Launched by Institute of Medicine & Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Future of Nursing Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New York, NY — August 1, 2012 — In the fall of 2010, when the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued its groundbreaking report, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health, the National League for Nursing heeded its clarion call to the nations nurses and nurse educators to transform the delivery of health care, as envisaged by the passage of President Obamas Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Now, thanks to widespread collaboration over the past two years by key stakeholders, including the NLN, across the community of nursing education, one vital element of that transformation—increasing the number of qualified advanced practice nurses (APRNs) in hospitals and community health centers—is poised for success.

With the announcement by Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius of new federal funding for graduate nursing education, an initial five designated medical center hospitals will receive support to provide clinical training to newly enrolled APRNs to deliver primary care, preventative care, transitional care, chronic case management, and other services appropriate for Medicare recipients. The selected hospitals are: the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania; Duke University Hospital, Scottsdale Healthcare Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, and Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center Hospital. (Details of the program may be found at http://www.innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/gne/.)

"The National League for Nursing is delighted to see the realization of a long process to support clinical training of advanced practice nurses," said NLN CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. "This demonstration, announced by Secretary Sebelius and witnessed by our colleagues at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), is an historic moment for nursing to have a greater hand in advancing the nations health. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, it is of particular importance to expand the provider base for our older adult population."

In the past two years, the NLN has made geriatric nursing education a priority, offering ACES (Advancing Care Excellence for Seniors), a comprehensive online curricular and practice resource for nurse educators, which includes unfolding case studies and simulations. The program was developed in partnership with Community College of Philadelphia, with funding from the Independence Foundation of Philadelphia, the John A. Hartford Foundation, Laerdal Medical, and the Hearst Foundations.

Added NLN president Judith A. Halstead, PhD, RN, FAAN, ANEF, also professor of nursing and executive associate dean for academic affairs at the Indiana University School of Nursing in Indianapolis: "With the transformation of nursing education brought into full reality by the IOM/RWJF Future of Nursing report, we believe this is just the beginning of the co-creation of initiatives that will revolutionize health care to bring higher quality, better safety and greater access to all Americans. With the planned relocation of the Leagues headquarters to Washington DC, the NLN looks forward to expanding involvement in policy and practice initiatives."

While the NLN is the only nursing education organization to represent the full spectrum of nursing programs, from licensed practical/vocational to doctoral degree, 43 percent of the NLNs 1,200 member-schools offer baccalaureate and higher degree programs. This GNE Demonstration announcement, therefore, also reinforces the NLNs stated goals to encourage academic progression along the spectrum of higher education and to create meaningful academic-practice partnerships to better prepare the nursing workforce to deliver quality care demanded by todays dynamic, tech-savvy health care environment.

Editors and reporters: For interview opportunities, please contact NLN chief communicatEditors and reporters: For interview opportunities, please contact NLN chief communications officer Karen R. Klestzick at 212-812-0376 or kklestzick@nln.org.

Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers faculty development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 37,000 individual and more than 1,200 institutional members who represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education.