AACN President Deborah Trautman Represents Academic Nursing at White House Briefing on COVID-19

WASHINGTON, D.C., March 18, 2020 - Earlier today, Dr. Deborah Trautman, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), represented academic nursing at a White House briefing with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the Coronavirus Task Force. Dr. Trautman was invited to attend this meeting, along with a handful of other nursing association leaders, to share details about nursing's critical role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and to discuss what support is needed to keep the nursing workforce safe and remain fully engaged in treating patients throughout the country.

"As we look at the challenge before us, it is imperative that the safety of the public, our nurses, and our nursing students, are top of mind," said Dr. Trautman in remarks prepared for this briefing. "AACN's member deans, faculty, and students are leaders in their communities who are committed to ensuring that our nation remains healthy and strong through the duration of this public health challenge. AACN looks forward to working with the Administration to address the needs of the nursing workforce."

The White House convened this meeting to discuss what is needed to protect healthcare providers on the frontlines of addressing COVID-19 and to better determine what equipment and protections are needed to keep nurses safe. Read more about the work of the task force and the Coronavirus Guidelines for America.

Last week, AACN released a new set of recommendations, titled Considerations for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response in U.S. Schools of Nursing to help schools navigate the need to ensure safety of their nursing students while maintaining quality nursing education programs during these challenging times. The recommendations relate to didactic and clinical education, student travel, alternate teaching approaches, and additional resources for faculty and students. AACN is also offering a free webinar series and an online information clearinghouse to support nursing schools nationwide in their work to respond to COVID-19.