News Release

Hartford Institute/AACN award honors nursing schools for innovative gerontology education

Grant and Award Announcement

New York University Division of Nursing

The John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University (Hartford Institute) partnered with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to bestow the second annual Award for Exceptional Curriculum in Gerontologic Nursing. This award was presented recently in ceremonies at AACN's fall semi-annual meeting in Washington, D.C. to six nursing schools that exhibited exceptional, substantive and innovative baccalaureate curricula in gerontological nursing education.

"All nurses in the course of their careers take care of older adults," says Mathy Mezey, EdD, RN, FAAN, professor of nursing education and director of the Hartford Institute at New York University. "Consequently, every entry-level professional nurse must be competent in providing optimal nursing care to elders. We are delighted to be able to foster and showcase nursing schools in the forefront of meeting their responsibilities to adequately prepare students through outstanding geriatric curricula. We are also delighted to partner with AACN in this effort."

"These awards honor models of excellence that encourage the highest standards for preparing nurses to deliver quality care to the fastest growing segment of the U.S. populations," says AACN President Andrea R. Lindell, DNSc, RN. "Geriatric care skills will increasingly become part of every nurse's repertoire. AACN is proud to have played a key role in coordinating and developing guidelines for this important initiative to spotlight education programs that are breaking vitally important new ground."

The first place winner is the University of Akron, College of Nursing. Runners-up include the University of Maryland, School of Nursing and the University of North Carolina Greensboro, School of Nursing. Honorable mentions went to the San Diego State University, College of Nursing, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Nursing and the University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing.

The John A. Hartford Foundation Institute for Geriatric Nursing at the Division of Nursing of New York University seeks to shape the quality of the health care that elderly Americans receive by promoting the highest level of competency in the nurses who deliver that care. By raising the standards of nursing care, the Hartford Institute aims to ensure that people age in comfort and with dignity. It initiates programs in education, practice, research, and policy and consumer education.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is the national voice for university and four-year-college education programs in nursing'the nation's largest health care profession. Representing more that 500 member schools of nursing at public and private institutions nationwide, AACN's educational, research, governmental advocacy, data collection, publications, and other programs work to establish quality standards for bachelor's-and graduate degree nursing education, assist deans and directors to implement those standards, influence the nursing profession to improve health care, and promote public support of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education, research, and practice.

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