AACN EssentialsUsed to define quality in nursing education, the AACN Essentials outline the necessary curriculum content and expected competencies of graduates from baccalaureate, master’s, and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs. With the endorsement of the new AACN Essentials by the membership in April 2021, academic nursing is moving toward a new model and framework for nursing education using a competency-based approach. AACN is committed to providing resources, education, and guidance to bring about this transformation.
Economic pressures building in the hospital employed RN labor marketOver the past several years, a number of powerful forces have rapidly changed hospitals' operating environment. Other forces, stemming from changes in the nation's economy and the debate over health care reform, have directly influenced RNs' employment activity. The hospital RN labor market has responded quickly and hospitals no longer face RN shortages.