Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a problem-solving approach that involves the conscientious use of current best evidence to make patient-care decisions. AACN’s advocacy for EBP helps ensure that acute, progressive and critical care nurses are represented in the ongoing work of creating and disseminating guidelines and standards that apply evidence to clinical practice.
Through our liaison program, AACN upholds that all healthcare decisions must be anchored in the best scientific evidence available.
AACN calls for all healthcare decision-making to be anchored in the best scientific evidence available. This is true for healthcare professionals at a patient's bedside and for public policymakers. Even during fast-moving public health crises, decisions must be based on carefully evaluated healthcare research and the guidance of fully qualified experts.
3/12/25
Forty-nine members of the NCC, including AACN, signed a comment letter to the Associate Commissioner for Policy/Office of Policy urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that nurses are among those represented within federal advisory committees, taskforces, and councils.
8/13/24
AACN liaisons participated in a mixed methods electronic Delphi study to clearly define preceptor competencies and validate preceptor role domains needed to guide professional development activities through the Association of Nursing Professional Development.
8/1/23
Fifty-one members of the NCC, including AACN, sent a letter to Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) thanking them for introducing the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act (H.R.3305/S.1606).
8/1/23
An AACN liaison co-authored a consensus report with the Task Force for Mass Critical Care. The report is aimed at determining factors that impact mental health, burnout and moral distress and identifying preventative in order to enhance workforce resilience, sustainment and retention.
7/1/23
An AACN Clinical Practice Specialist shared the “AACN Tele-critical Care Nursing Consensus Statement Supporting Acute, Progressive and Critical Care” during a panel discussion on the topic of “Reimagining the Virtual Care ICU and Acute Care Settings.” Telemedicine offers innovative solutions to staffing shortages, allows nurses to work at the top of their licenses and can improve patient safety.
3/1/23
An AACN liaison participated in the review of a Standardized Pressure Injury Prevention Protocol (SPIPP) checklist that was recently released by the National Pressure Injury Prevention Advisory Panel. The SPIPP is a useful protocol checklist for pressure injury prevention in adult critical and progressive care populations.
2/1/23
An AACN liaison participated in creation of the 12th edition of the CAMTS Accreditation Standards and co-wrote the content for a Q&A video presentation. The new accreditation standards went to effect on January 1, 2023.
2/1/23
AACN attended a board meeting with the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) to discuss the new CAMTS 12th Edition Accreditation Standards. The new standards go into effect on January 1, 2023 and require transport-specific certification for all transport nurses.
10/1/22
"An AACN liaison attended the annual 2022 National Pressure Injury Prevention Council conference, themed “Pressure Injuries — Quality Approaches to Complex Problems.” The event included sessions aimed to provide health care providers with the tools necessary to leverage technology to improve pressure injury identification, develop and implement skin care standards and improve patient engagement.
3/1/22
An AACN liaison joined the COVID-19 guidance subgroup of the American Heart Association’s Emergency Cardiovascular Committee. The subgroup will review evolving COVID-19 literature, then direct and set standards for resuscitation of patients in cardiac arrest.
3/1/22
AACN and other members of the Critical Care Societies Collaborative (CCSC) urged the FDA to direct developers and manufacturers of FDA-regulated pulse oximeters to test all devices for accurate and reliable readings for patients with diverse degrees of skin pigmentation. This letter addresses continuing concerns about potential inaccuracies of pulse oximetry in people with darker skin tones.
2/1/22
AACN attended the quarterly National Hospital Preparedness Partner Community meeting. The office of Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response website was updated to reflect COVID-19 resources for healthcare workers and countermeasures to enhance health security.
2/1/22
AACN reached out to Dr. Rochelle Walensky of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asking that CDC guidance consistently and clearly prioritize patients’ and healthcare professionals’ safety. AACN also recommended that nurses be included when guidance that affects frontline workers is developed.
1/24/22
"An AACN liaison participated in the American Heart Association’s review of the most current CDC recommendations along with resuscitation education and literature on COVID-19 and cardiac arrest. As a result of the review, no changes will be made to the “2022 Interim Guidance to Health Care Providers for Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support in Adults, Children, and Neonates With Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19.”
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11/1/22