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In April 2021, AACN member schools voted overwhelmingly to endorse The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education, changing the trajectory of academic nursing. This historic vote set in motion a wave of curricular innovation at nursing schools nationwide as the work to transition our programs to a competency-based education (CBE) model began in earnest.

AACN member schools consistently demonstrate strong and growing support for this transformative shift in nursing education. In 2023, 85% of surveyed institutions reported a commitment to CBE, with 92% of deans supporting implementation of the Essentials. By 2025, momentum had accelerated, with 95% of college and university leadership and 99% of schools expressing support. These findings reflect a shared vision across academic nursing to strengthen the practice readiness of program graduates. Anecdotally we are hearing from faculty that the move to CBE is having an impact with students progressing more quickly in their clinical development, demonstrating stronger critical thinking skills and greater ability to articulate their practice.

When the Essentials were initially endorsed, the AACN Board of Directors agreed to revisit the document at the five-year mark to ensure the content remained relevant. In keeping with this expectation, the 2026 edition of the Essentials was released on April 17, 2026, with updates reflecting AACN’s commitment to ensuring that competency expectations continue to meet the evolving needs of nursing education, clinical practice, and the communities we serve.

AACN made targeted refinements to support schools of nursing as they evaluate program requirements, student experiences, and learning environments in keeping with federal standards and other programmatic expectations. The updates align with AACN’s Access, Connection, and Engagement (ACE) framework that was introduced to the membership in July 2025. The new language reinforces our commitment to ACE, emphasizing support for student success, workforce preparation, and academic-practice partnerships.

Changes were made in the Concepts for Nursing Practice section of the Essentials with the inclusion of Access, Connection, and Engagement as the fourth Concept. Updates also were made to the descriptors for Domain 3 (Population Health) and Domain 7 (Systems-Based Practice), as well as to the Glossary and References. Click here for details on changes made to three Essentials competencies and 40 sub-competencies.

Aligning ACE with the Essentials will ensure that new nurses are well prepared to meet patient needs across practice settings. By focusing on Access, we ensure that every learner has meaningful opportunities to achieve competency and enter the workforce more practice ready. Through Connection, we align learning across classroom, clinical, and practice environments, to ensure that development is coherent and authentic relationships take root. By emphasizing Engagement, we move learners from passive recipients to active participants, deepening how competency is developed and sustained.

To help members further understand the value and importance of embedding ACE across nursing curricula, AACN’s Chief Access and Engagement Officer, Dr. Brigit Carter, has prepared this video overview:

As we work together to integrate the ACE framework into our programs as a key element of the Essentials, AACN looks forward to working with our member schools to bring this vision to life with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose. We are launching a communication campaign to guide faculty through the Essentials updates and the ACE framework, including convening a virtual meeting with the Essentials Champions from each member school followed by a webinar later this year. Please direct any questions about the updates to essentials@aacnnursing.org. Schools without an identified Champion are encouraged to contact us to designate their program’s representative. Champions meet quarterly via Zoom to discuss issues and opportunities associated with Essentials implementation and have program-specific questions answered.

We will keep you updated as this work progresses and look forward to working with all schools to understand your needs related to Essentials implementation. We remain committed to engaging all members in efforts to prepare professional nurses with the expertise needed to provide high-quality, compassionate care to all populations.