2025

The NLN Centers for Nursing Education have been extraordinarily busy. First, the long-time partnership between the NLN and Chamberlain continues with the NLN / Chamberlain University College of Nursing Center for the Advancement of the Science of Nursing Education. 

The 4th edition of the Scope of Practice for Nurse Educators Practicing in Various Academic Nurse Educator Roles is scheduled for publication in February. This new edition will include the newly identified role and competencies of the practical/vocational educator role. 

The 2025 Summit special issue of NLN’s research journal, Nursing Education Perspectives, also published by our partner Wolters Kluwer, focuses on clinical education in academic learning environments. Drs. Jennie De Gagne and Rebecca Davis are the guest editors. A call for manuscripts for the 2026 special issue remains open until January 2026. The topic is Creating a Healthy Work Environment in Nursing Education with guest editors Drs. Mark Hand and Steven Palazzo. 

Applications for the 2026 yearlong NLN Leadership Institute, which includes LEAD and the Leadership Development Program for Simulation Educators, are due October 6. 

This is the 4th year of the partnership with the NLN and Laerdal Medical to help advance transformation of the standard of resuscitation care for cardiac arrest. Resuscitation Quality Improvement’s RQI innovative, evidence-based digital approach helps learners achieve sustained mastery of high-quality CPR skills and verified competence through short, quarterly practice and review sessions. 

The NLN / Walden University College of Nursing Institute for Social Determinants of Health and Social Change cultivates leaders who can address issues of social determinants of health and equity in a variety of settings. The yearlong NLN / Walden Leadership Academy is now accepting applications for 2026. 

The NLN and the International Council of Nurses, or ICN, formed a strategic partnership to prioritize the education of nurses worldwide through the ICN Education Experts Advisory Committee, or ICNEE. The aim of the ICNEE is to promote the education of nurses around the world and ensure the nursing workforce of the future is prepared to meet whatever challenges lie ahead. Dr. Sandra Davis, NLN’s deputy chief director, serves as ICNEE's chair. 

This year, the NLN is proud to celebrate a 22-year partnership with Laerdal Medical, a collaboration we deeply value. Over the years, we have co-developed several significant products that have advanced nursing education, including vSim, Scenario Cloud, and immersive virtual reality solutions. In collaboration with Wolters Kluwer and Laerdal, we created new virtual reality programs aimed at preparing students for real-world nursing practice through evolving, multi-patient clinical experiences.

Turning our attention to certification, the Certified Nurse Educator Program began in 2005 is celebrating our 20-year anniversary. The NLN Certification Division now has three certifications available for nurse educators: Certified Nurse Educator or CNE; Certified Clinical Nurse Educator or CNEcl; and Certified Novice Nurse Educator or CNEn. Since 2005, over 18,000 academic nurse educators have earned one of the three Certified Nurse Educator credentials. During the past 12 months, more than 900 nurse educators have achieved certification as an academic nurse educator.

In recognition of the thousands of academic nurse educators who practice as a clinical educator only, or adjunct or preceptor, a second academic nurse educator certification exam was created six years ago. The number of those certified as clinical nurse educators now is over 700.

The implementation of the CNE Novice program has gone well. The target group for this certification is nurse educators within the first three years of practice as a nurse educator. Since the launch of the CNE Novice exam, we now have over 320 nurse educators certified at the novice level. And, we are now adding the practical / vocational nurse educator certification. Currently a hard-working group of PN / VN faculty is busy writing new test items specifically for the exams. We are hoping to begin testing by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Assessment-based certificate programs have been initiated by the Credentialing Department during 2025. These certificate programs allow the learner to participate in online learning modules about a specific topic, followed by an assessment to verify learning.  Some of the current courses include teaching online; PN/VN faculty development; preparing to transition from clinical practice to academia; the new nurse educator faculty role; and a shared product with the Nurses on Board Coalition titled, “Communication and Language in the Boardroom.” Watch for more courses to be added in the future.

The NLN Assessment Services Division offers a comprehensive range of assessments to support nursing programs, students, employers, and practicing nurses. These assessments can help guide admission decisions, evaluate subject matter proficiency, advance student placement by assessing their prior learning, testing NCLEX readiness, and assessing practice knowledge. As NCLEX preparation also remains a priority for programs and students, Assessment Services offers NCLEX reviews – onsite and virtually – at the request of LPN and RN programs. 

Next for communications, I am proud to report that this has been another successful and award-winning year for the team. We continue to work with the media around stories that highlight the expertise of the NLN plus efforts to address the nursing shortage. We’ve also been pleased to see new heights of engagement with the NLN through our website and on social media, where we’re starting to approach 100,000 followers. 

If you are not following the NLN, you can find us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter – slash – X, Instagram, YouTube, and, most recently, Blue Sky, from links on our website, NLN.org. 

There’s also something new on the horizon. The NLN has started development of an app to be launched in 2026. More people than ever before find content on their phones through apps rather than on websites. It’s important that we reach our members and our stakeholders and audiences where they are, when they’re looking for education and resources from the NLN. Look for an announcement in the coming months when the NLN app is ready for you to download. 

Speaking of apps, the Summit app won a Gold Award from the Hermes Creative Awards, so please check it out if you haven’t already. And that’s not the only award we’ve received. Since we met last year, the NLN and CNEA have earned other national honors in the APEX Awards for Publication Excellence, Hermes Awards, and the AVA Digital Awards.

These awards recognized our media outreach, website, and digital communications. Special congratulations to our communications team, led by Mike Keaton along with India West and Ann Marie Watson. Congratulations also to Jenny Chicca, deputy director, and Teresa Shellenbarger, executive director of the CNEA, for the recognition they have received for their newsletter, the CNEA Corner. 

And special congratulations to the team in the NLN Center for Innovation in Education Excellence, led by Kellie Bryant along with Andrea Browning and Raquel Bertiz. This year, the NLN Nursing EDge podcast earned a prestigious Hermes Platinum Award, their top honor. 

Thank you to NLN Chair Dr. Patricia Sharpnack, the Board of Governors, partners, and staff who have all contributed to making this a banner year for the NLN.