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CSI Academy FAQs
Program Overview
To enable more nurses, hospitals and health systems to benefit from the CSI Academy experience, AACN has developed a flexible delivery model that can be scaled and tailored to an individual organization’s needs. The CSI Academy program helps healthcare organizations foster nurse-driven innovation that improves patient care, quality indicators, work environments and nurse retention by offering an interactive, experiential learning program. Our typical program spans 12 months ― a duration shown to help change “stick” ― although we offer a range of options.
Individual nurses interested in the program should speak with their manager, director or CNO about bringing CSI Academy to their unit.
How do I apply or get more information?
Our AACN CSI Academy faculty would be happy to discuss your unit's needs and share more about participation options, pricing and achieving your unit and organizational objectives. Please complete our request form to start the conversation. You can also reach us at aacncsi@aacn.org or 800-899-AACN (2226).
Participation Requirements
Do you have to be a nurse to participate in AACN CSI Academy?
Yes. AACN CSI Academy is designed to educate and empower direct care nurses to create positive change. Program participants must be nurses working at the bedside in at least a 0.8 FTE capacity. CSI nurse participants collaborate with other disciplines to achieve their project outcomes.
What type of nursing units can participate?
Nurses who work directly with patients in any area of the hospital or healthcare organization are invited to participate in AACN CSI Academy. Our alumni CSI Academy nurses practice in a wide variety of pediatric and adult units, including inpatient, outpatient and long-term care.
How many nurses are on each CSI project team?
Each CSI Academy team is composed of two to four CSI nurses from a single unit. We’ve also had successful teams composed of nurses from two “sister” units. Alternative team composition may be discussed with program faculty.
What is the ideal number of participating units or teams?
Participating hospitals should have five to 10 teams per cohort to maximize collaboration, positive impact and critical mass for creating sustainable change. Teams can be from one hospital, a single healthcare system, or multiple hospitals in one region.
Can we invite teams from other hospitals in our system or community to be part of the program?
Yes. You are welcome to invite teams of nurses from other hospitals in your system or city to make up the cohort.
Program Outcomes
What patient care challenges have previous CSI Academy teams addressed?
AACN CSI Academy teams have focused on both clinical issues, such as hospital-acquired infections, early progressive mobility, delirium and pressure injuries, and professional practice issues such as turnover, burnout, communication, handoffs and staffing. Learn more by exploring our online library of CSI Innovation Projects.
What outcomes have CSI Academy teams achieved?
Nurse teams participating in AACN CSI Academy have achieved significant results with positive impacts on patients, hospitals and nurses themselves.
- As a result of CSI Academy projects, patient safety and satisfaction have improved while also positively impacting the hospital's fiscal outcomes and the health of the work environment. Also, improvements to the unit environment through changes in staffing models, communication and handoffs have contributed to increased patient, family and staff satisfaction.
- Beyond the quantitative outcomes, chief nursing officers and team coaches participating in the program report increased staff engagement, staff and patient satisfaction, and professional growth among CSI nurse participants - and their unit colleagues as well.