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Nursing Schools Nationwide Are Mobilized

Posted on: Friday, 9 September 2005, 15:00 CDT

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) applauds the efforts of nursing schools nationwide to accommodate the 3,000 nursing students and faculty displaced by Hurricane Katrina. More than 100 schools representing 35 states and the District of Columbia have made arrangements to accept students on an expedited basis, provide housing when possible, and offer nurse faculty opportunities to teach while their home institutions in New Orleans and the surrounding area remain closed. The listing of nursing schools providing assistance to students and faculty is available online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/HurricaneRelief.htm.

"In light of the nursing shortage, it is extremely important to the nation's health that the pipeline of new nurse graduates remains strong and is not compromised in the wake of Hurricane Katrina," said AACN President Dr. Jean E. Bartels. "Nursing schools from coast to coast are stepping forward to provide needed assistance to enable students to continue their education and create opportunities for faculty to teach."

Among the nursing schools hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina were Dillard University, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, Loyola University of New Orleans, Our Lady of Holy Cross College, and Xavier University of Louisiana. Students enrolled in nursing programs at these and other affected institutions this fall are encouraged to use the hurricane relief directory found at http:/ /www.aacn.nche.edu/HurricaneRelief.htm to locate schools able to accept transfers. Some schools will accept individuals while others are looking to accommodate whole classes with faculty. Some schools are waiving tuition fees while others are securing important support services. In terms of housing, some students and faculty are opening their homes to displaced individuals when university housing is not an option.

In support of these efforts, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), the leading accrediting agency for baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs, released the following statement from Dr. Mary Margaret Mooney, Chair of the CCNE Board of Commissioners: "CCNE encourages its constituent nursing programs to provide opportunities for continued study to nursing students from Katrina ravaged areas. Nursing faculty are remarkably innovative, and we are confident that schools which can do so will accommodate these displaced students without compromising accreditation standards."

AACN is grateful to all of the kindred organizations who have helped to spread the word about nursing education's hurricane relief effort, including the American Nurses Association, Association of Academic Health Centers, National Council of State Boards of Nursing, National Student Nurses Association, and the Veterans Health Administration. To expand this effort to reach students and faculty, AACN encourages other nursing groups to link with http:// www.aacn.nche.edu/HurricaneRelief.htm.

http://www.usnewswire.com

Source: U.S. Newswire

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