Released May 2021: The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report
The report from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, Medicine (NASEM) explores how we will achieve health care equity for communities and outlines urgent changes in nursing education, pay, employment, and more.
The COVID-19 pandemic did not create health inequities, but it made clear that much of what affects our health happens outside of a hospital. As a highly trusted segment of the health workforce, nurses play a pivotal role in ensuring that we all have what we need to stay healthy and well. But for our country to achieve health equity for all, the systems that educate, pay, employ, and enable nurses need to permanently remove practice barriers, value their contributions, prepare them to understand and tackle the social factors that affect health, and diversify the workforce.
Read more about how we can unleash the power of the nurse to achieve health equity for all in the new National Academy of Medicine report, “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030: Charting a Path to Achieve Health Equity.”
AAACN President weighs in on the Future of Nursing report and ambulatory care nursing's future.
Feedback Gathered at Town Halls
July Phila. Town Hall- (from left): Sue Hasmiller, Sr. Advisor
at the National Academy of Medicine; AAACN President
Kris Grayem; AAACN CEO Linda Alexander; and Future of
Nursing panel co-chair, Mary Wakefield.
Kristene Grayem addresses the Future of Nurse Town Hall.
The Committee held three regional Town Halls in summer 2019 to engage nurses in discussions on key issues. Each meeting featured panel presentations on specific topics, followed by invited remarks and public comments.
The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) was one of four organizations asked to the Philadelphia Town Hall on July 24, 2019, to make recommendations during the “Invited Comments” portion of the event. The theme for Philadelphia was “Payment and Care for Complex Health and Social Needs.”
AAACN President Kristene Grayem, MSN, CNS, PPCNP-BC, RN-BC, delivered AAACN’s powerful message to the FON Committee, Town Hall attendees, and a live stream audience on behalf of ambulatory care nurses.
“Ambulatory care nurses are visionary leaders who partner to design and coordinate care outside of acute care settings,” Grayem said. “We pledge to bring our passion, resources, and evidence-based knowledge to the Future of Nursing Campaign.”
Grayem told the audience about AAACN’s successful Care Coordination and Transition Management (CCTM) program that is helping to change America’s health care system.
Thanks to the CCTM education program and resources, ambulatory care nurses are able to help patients get the right care, at the right time, by the right provider.
Grayem also described an initiative led by AAACN that focuses on Nurse-Sensitive Indicators, or NSIs. Identifying and measuring NSIs demonstrates the value and contributions of RNs in the health care system.
Read: Kristene Grayem’s Invited Comments presented at the Philadelphia Town Hall. | Press release about the event.
Watch the video of Kristene Grayem delivering AAACN comments to the FON Committee.
Kathy Mertens Represents AAACN at Future of Nursing Seattle Town Hall
AAACN Past President Kathy Mertens, DNP,
MN, MPH, RN, (right), at the Future of
Nursing Seattle Town Hall with Barbara
Trehearne, PhD, RN, AAACN member.
AAACN Immediate Past President Kathy Mertens, DNP, MN, MPH, RN, spoke during the Public Comments portion of the Future of Nursing Town Hall in Seattle, WA, on August 7, 2019, outlining how new technologies allow ambulatory care nurses to deliver 'connected' care to all populations across the country.
The Seattle Town Hall was the third of three regional meetings held by the FON Committee in 2019 to engage nurses in discussions on key issues.
Each meeting featured panel presentations on specific topics, followed by invited remarks and public comments.
The Town Hall theme was "High Tech to High Touch." The gathering brought together nursing leaders and industry experts from across the country and was also live-streamed via the National Academy of Medicine Website.
"Digital services lift many barriers – time and distance, social determinants, and provider access. Evidence shows positive outcomes with many technology-enhanced interventions," Mertens told the audience. "Ambulatory care nurses are well positioned to deliver this 'connected' care to individuals and populations in these diverse locations."
Resources, presentations and videos available from previous Town Halls:
Seattle Town Hall - on High Tech to High Touch
Chicago Town Hall - on Education, Research, and Practice.
Philadelphia Town Hall - on Payment and Care for Complex Health and Social Needs.
Thank You to AAACN’s Leaders and Staff
In an effort to best represent AAACN and ambulatory care nurses for the Future of Nursing campaign, the association enlisted the help of several leaders who volunteered their time. Thank you to the AAACN Future of Nursing Task Force: Chair, Debra Cox; Sheila Haas; Rachel Start; Beth Ann Swan; and Barbara Trehearne. We also thank the AAACN Board of Directors, CEO Linda Alexander, and Communications Director Janet D’Alesandro for preparing the concise, influential, and relevant comments delivered at the Philadelphia Town Hall.
