AACN, Jonas Center & Khan Academy Announce Competition to Develop Online Resources

The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence, Khan Academy, and AACN Announce 
Competition Rules to Develop Online Learning Resources for Healthcare Professionals

Winners will produce free tutorials to help new nurses prepare 
for the licensing exam and for clinicians and patients worldwide

NEW YORK, November 4, 2013 -  The Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence (JCNE), Khan Academy and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced competition rules for nursing students and other healthcare professionals to create video tutorials and exercises related to content covered in the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®). 

The competition is part of a new initiative to transform how professional health education is delivered to providers across disciplines around the globe. Ultimately, the goal of the contest is to create a scalable bank of information with opportunities for deep learning engagement. 

"This partnership opens up a new world, with videos that will have a vast audience and great impact that could not be achieved by the traditional education system alone," said Darlene Curley, Executive Director, Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence. "The content will be of interest to students preparing for all kinds of healthcare careers, current providers looking for updates, and consumers who want to learn more about their own health."

Submissions will be accepted via the Khan Academy website until a core set of winners are found or by January 17th, 2014. The first tutorials are expected to be available in the spring of 2014 through the Khan Academy's online learning website. 

Winners will receive a 1-week trip (March 2-9, 2014) to get face-to-face training and support from Khan Academy to help develop an open access, free resource for students and faculty in the health professions. Winners may then be invited to become Khan Academy content creators, and to work on developing the next generation of health content - especially helpful for nursing students preparing to take the NCLEX-RN.

Last year, approximately 195,000 new nursing school graduates sat for the NCLEX-RN , which is designed to test the knowledge, skills, and abilities essential for safe and effective nursing practice at the entry level. All nurses must pass the exam to practice as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the U.S - more than 1.2 million of whom will be needed to fill the projected number of U.S. job openings through 2020.  Nurses coming from overseas to practice in the U.S. must also pass the exam. 

"We are excited to officially launch the contest and look forward to working with a new cadre of Khan Academy content creators selected by the program," said Rishi Desai, MD, MPH, Program Lead - Medical Partnerships at Khan Academy, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a free world class education. "We believe these resources could have great implications for health training around the globe."

Submission Guidelines

• anaphylactic shock 
• sickle-cell anemia 
• bronchiolitis
• hypertension 
• iron-deficiency anemia 
• emphysema
• congestive heart failure 
• asthma  
• stroke 
• pneumonia

Funding to support the competition and content development has been provided by the Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence. View their website for more information about the contest. 

Please direct questions to Khan Academy at NCLEX-RN@khanacademy.org.