Founded in 1969, the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) serves more than 500,000 nurses across the United States. This nonprofit organization distributes information, offers educational resources and training opportunities, and provides a place for critical care nurses to connect with one another through conferences and other outlets. It’s the largest specialty nursing organization in the world.
The AACN was formed around the same time that intensive care units were being implemented in hospitals. New ICUs required support from nurses who were trained in critical care, particularly cardiovascular issues, which were prominent in the 1960s. Nurses from Nashville Baptist Hospital invited 400 nurses from around the country to form a coalition of coronary care nurses, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. The American Association of Cardiovascular Nurses was established as a result in 1969. Two years later, the organization adopted its current name to reflect a broader emphasis on critical care nursing.
According to the organization’s website, their mission is to provide nurses who specialize in intensive care with the “expert knowledge and the influence to fulfill their promise to patients and their families.” To support this effort, the AACN publishes a monthly newsletter, a clinical magazine for practicing specialists, a quarterly series for advanced practice nurses and a scientific research journal.
According to aacn.org. Source of photos: internet
