Conni J. DeBlieck

This brief report describes the work of the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE) to update the Position Paper Faculty Qualifications for Community/Public Health Nursing (C/PHN) and recommend qualifications for C/PHN faculty and clinical preceptors in undergraduate and graduate programs. Work group members conducted a literature review and a survey of public health faculty, practicing public health nurses, and other nurse educators in 2023. The revised position paper highlights the need for faculty who are academically and experientially prepared to teach community, public, and population health nursing courses. It stresses the importance of well‐qualified instructors in both undergraduate and graduate nursing programs. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing added Population Health as a new domain to The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education . In an effort to meet the new domains it is essential to consider faculty that have the academic and experiential qualifications to be hired or selected to teach C/PHN courses in nursing programs.

To guide the development of entry-level nursing education, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) published the Essentials document in 2021 with a broadened scope of competencies. Community, population, and public health (CPPH) nurse educators use a number of foundational documents to crosswalk for gaps in the AACN principles, highlighting the need of including these contemporary documents within the baccalaureate CPPH nursing curriculum. In this crosswalk, the authors highlight important capabilities and knowledge exclusive to these fundamental documents and tools, as well as the relevance of these competencies and knowledge to CPPH baccalaureate nursing education.

Baccalaureate nursing education is moving to adopt the new American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials for Professional Nursing Education. As identified in two of the six domains of the essentials, graduates need to be prepared to address population health and utilize informatics and healthcare technologies. Community/public health nursing also has eight domains for generalist nurses linked to population health which will help prepare a skilled nursing workforce for the 21st century. The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim which evolved into the Quadruple Aim is focused on improving health outcomes within healthcare delivery. Through a literature review, a need for a Quadruple Aim model for nursing education was identified. Mirroring the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's Triple Aim for healthcare delivery, a Quadruple Aim for Nursing Education Model was developed. The model dimensions include (1) Population‐focused Care, (2) Maximize Student Learning Experience, (3) Cost‐effective Pedagogy, and (4) Nurse Educator Well‐being. The Quadruple Aim for Nursing Education Model supports nursing education to prepare future nurses effectively and efficiently bridging population health concepts and issues with nursing informatics. Nurse educators are encouraged to utilize the model to transform nursing education.

Objective Aims of this study were to identify the Association of Community/Public Health Nursing Educators members' demographics, educational preparation, and research competencies; and, to complete a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis. Methods A descriptive-correlational design was employed. Primary data collection was via electronic survey. Authors developed a survey focusing on demographics and aligning Benner's theory with research skills/experience. SWOT and gap analyses were performed. Results A 27.2% response rate (N = 352) revealed a lack of diversity among 70% doctorally prepared membership, perceived competence with interprofessional collaboration (80%), and applying research to practice (80%). Doctorally prepared members reported experience using longitudinal designs (p = .05). PhD-prepared members reported experience using psychometrics and evaluations (p = .05). SWOT revealed a lack of service engagement. Gap analysis offered solutions to execute strategic goals. Conclusions Association of Community/Public Health Nursing Educators may enhance future direction by advancing member diversity, professional development, collaborative scholarship, and mentoring.