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The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) is an honorific society and policy leadership organization serving the nursing profession and the public by advancing evidence-based health policy, research, and clinical practice. Through its competitive fellowship, expert panels, and scientific council, the Academy translates scientific discovery into national health initiatives. While foundational disciplinary concepts are examined in our guide to what is nursing science, the Academy functions as the primary platform where recognized nursing scholars synthesize research into actionable health policy.
What it is and who runs it
Established in 1973 as an independent affiliate of the American Nurses Association (ANA), the American Academy of Nursing represents more than 3,000 distinguished nursing leaders in education, management, practice, research, and policy. Known colloquially as the american academy of nursing, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) entity governed by an elected Board of Directors based in Washington, DC.
The Academy coordinates national initiatives through standing committees, expert panels addressing critical healthcare domains (such as health equity, environmental health, aging, and bioethics), and dedicated initiatives like the Edge Runners program, which recognizes nurse-designed care delivery models demonstrating clinical efficacy and cost reduction. Through its official bimonthly peer-reviewed journal, Nursing Outlook, the Academy publishes policy statements, expert panel consensus reports, and original research analyses.
What does the American Academy of Nursing do?
A central question asked by healthcare professionals is: what does the American Academy of Nursing do? In practice, the Academy performs four core operational functions:
- Conferring Fellowship: Electing accomplished nursing leaders to become an american academy of nursing fellow, earning the credential Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN).
- Driving Health Policy: Formulating policy white papers, contributing to federal advisory committees, and hosting an annual Health Policy Conference in Washington, DC.
- Fostering Scientific Infrastructure: Housing the council for the advancement of nursing science (CANS), which facilitates national research coordination, training, and scientific discourse.
- Recognizing Clinical Innovation: Designating nurse-led clinical solutions as Edge Runners to encourage national replication and health system integration.
Eligibility
Eligibility for Academy programs varies between Fellowship induction and open-membership scientific initiatives, as described on the official Academy portal on 2026-11-07:
Fellowship (FAAN) Eligibility
Election as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing represents a premier career achievement. Candidates must meet rigorous criteria:
- Professional Standing: Applicants must be recognized nursing leaders with sustained contributions and active membership in a professional nursing organization. At least one sponsor must hold active membership in an American Nurses Association (ANA) Constituent/State Nurses Association (C/SNA) or the ANA Individual Member Division.
- Substantive and Scalable Impact: Candidates must provide clear evidence of significant, substantive, and sustained individual contributions to healthcare at the national or international level, or regional work with demonstrated scalability.
- Dual Sponsorship: Each applicant must be sponsored by two Regular Fellows in good standing who submit independent evaluative statements detailing the applicant’s leadership and measurable impact.
CANS Membership Eligibility
Unlike Academy Fellowship, which is by competitive election only, the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science operates as an open-membership council. Any nurse scientist, postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, or healthcare researcher may join CANS directly without prior Fellowship election.
What it funds or requires
The American Academy of Nursing is primarily an honorific and policy body rather than a federal grantmaker. However, it directs resources toward scientific recognition, awards, and travel fellowships, while setting compliance standards for its inductees.
Fellowship Requirements and Dues
Elected Fellows must maintain active annual dues to remain in good standing and retain the right to use the FAAN credential. Fellows actively participate in Academy Expert Panels, contribute expertise to policy briefs, attend the annual business meeting, and mentor emerging nurse scholars.
CANS and the State of the Science Congress
A vital operational arm of the Academy is the council for the advancement of nursing science (CANS), established in 2000 by the AAN Board to maintain national research infrastructure after the ANA restructured its Council of Nurse Researchers. CANS coordinates the biennial state of the science congress on nursing research, a major scientific conference connecting academic investigators, emerging nurse scientists, and federal agency leadership, including program directors from the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR).
The State of the Science Congress serves as a national forum for peer-reviewed abstracts, methodology workshops, and symposia. Through CANS, the Academy confers competitive scientific awards, including the Nurse Scientist Mentorship Award and Outstanding Dissertation Awards, supporting investigators competing for major research grants such as the R01 NIH research project grant.
Application or compliance steps
Navigating the fellowship nomination or scientific presentation process involves sequential steps:
Fellowship Application Steps
- Secure Sponsors: Identify two Regular Fellows in good standing familiar with your scholarship, policy impact, or organizational leadership. Confirm that at least one sponsor holds active ANA membership.
- Compile Impact Narrative: Prepare narrative responses demonstrating how your individual work has driven measurable outcomes in health equity, clinical care, education, or policy. Evidence should include peer-reviewed publications identified through tools like CINAHL search strategy or comparative scoping across CINAHL vs PubMed.
- Submit Online Portfolio: Complete the standardized online application form on the Academy portal and pay the non-refundable application fee ($375).
- Peer Review Evaluation: Applications undergo blinded peer review by the elected Fellow Selection Committee, evaluating contributions against standardized impact rubrics.
- Induction and Credential Conferral: Candidates selected for induction must attend the formal Induction Ceremony held during the annual Health Policy Conference in October in Washington, DC, to officially activate their FAAN credential.
CANS Abstract Submission Steps
- Call for Abstracts: Monitor CANS announcements for the biennial State of the Science Congress.
- Abstract Preparation: Structure scientific abstracts according to CANS guidelines (Background, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Policy Implications).
- Peer Review: Scientific review panels score submissions for podium or poster presentation sessions.
Typical timeline phases
The Fellowship application and induction cycle follows a predictable annual lifecycle:
- Phase 1: Portal Opening (Month 1): The online application system opens annually in early January.
- Phase 2: Submission Deadline (Month 2): Applications, sponsor statements, and application fees must be submitted by mid-February.
- Phase 3: Committee Evaluation (Months 3 to 5): The Fellow Selection Committee conducts independent scoring during the spring.
- Phase 4: Notification (Month 6): Applicants receive formal notification of selection by early summer (typically June).
- Phase 5: Conference and Induction (Month 10): New Fellows are formally inducted during the annual Health Policy Conference in October.
Common mistakes
Applicants to the Academy fellowship and scientific presenters frequently make critical missteps:
- Documenting Activity Rather than Impact: Listing routine duties, committee seats, or publication counts without demonstrating how those activities changed clinical practice, shaped legislation, or altered healthcare delivery.
- Ineligible or Weak Sponsors: Selecting sponsors who do not meet membership criteria or who provide brief endorsements rather than detailed analyses of the applicant’s unique contributions.
- Premature Application: Applying before establishing a clear track record of sustained, scalable national or international impact, resulting in rejection and loss of the application fee.
- Ignoring Policy Linkages: Failing to articulate how research findings connect to broader health policy priorities, a core evaluation metric of the Academy.
- Formatting Errors in Standardized CV: Submitting biosketches that omit metric sections required by the portal.
Related programs
The table below summarizes related professional academies and scientific nursing organizations documented on official portals on 2026-11-07:
| Organization / Entity | Primary Role | Key Scientific or Policy Activity | Official Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Academy of Nursing (AAN) | Honorific society and policy institute | FAAN credential, Edge Runners, expert panels, and Nursing Outlook | aannet.org |
| Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS) | Research arm of AAN | Biennial State of the Science Congress and scientific career development | nursingscience.org |
| American Nurses Association (ANA) | Professional membership association | Practice standards, code of ethics, legislative lobbying, and workforce advocacy | nursingworld.org |
| National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) | Federal research funding institute (NIH) | Extramural research grants, training fellowships, and scientific strategic plans | ninr.nih.gov |
FAQ
What does the American Academy of Nursing do?
The American Academy of Nursing generates, synthesizes, and disseminates nursing knowledge to shape health policy, practice, and clinical care. It confers the FAAN credential, convenes Expert Panels, leads the Edge Runners care-model initiative, and oversees the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science.
What does the FAAN credential mean?
FAAN stands for Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing. It is an earned professional credential recognizing accomplished nursing leaders who have made extraordinary, sustained contributions to healthcare and health policy.
What is the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS)?
CANS is an open-membership council established in 2000 within the American Academy of Nursing. It serves as a national voice for nurse scientists, organizing research conferences and fostering scientific workforce development.
What is the State of the Science Congress?
The State of the Science Congress on Nursing Research is a biennial national scientific conference organized by CANS and the American Academy of Nursing, bringing together researchers, federal agency leaders, and clinical investigators to share cutting-edge nursing research.
How does AAN differ from the American Nurses Association (ANA)?
While AAN was created in 1973 as an affiliate of the ANA, they fulfill distinct roles. The ANA is a broad professional association focusing on professional practice standards and workforce advocacy, whereas the Academy is an election-based honorific organization focused on health policy synthesis and scientific leadership.
Sources
- American Nurses Association. “ANA Enterprise and Affiliates: American Academy of Nursing.” Accessed 2026-11-07. https://www.nursingworld.org/ana/about-ana/affiliates/
- Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science. “About CANS and State of the Science Congress.” Accessed 2026-11-07. https://www.nursingscience.org/ and https://www.nursingscience.org/state-of-the-science-congress
- American Academy of Nursing. “Fellowship Overview and Application Guidelines.” Accessed 2026-11-07. https://www.aannet.org/fellows/becoming-a-fellow
- American Academy of Nursing. “Edge Runners: Transforming Health and Healthcare.” Accessed 2026-11-07. https://www.aannet.org/initiatives/edge-runners
- Elsevier. “Nursing Outlook: Official Journal of the American Academy of Nursing and CANS.” Accessed 2026-11-07. https://www.nursingoutlook.org/
