VCU news

Jean Giddens, Ph.D., professor and dean of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing, was elected to serve a two-year term as a board member at-large of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing. The 11-member board of directors serves as the governing body for AACN.

The national voice for academic nursing, AACN is comprised of 823 public and private universities nationwide that offer a mix of baccalaureate, graduate and post-graduate nursing programs. It works to establish quality standards for nursing education, assists schools in implementing those standards, influences the nursing profession to improve health care and promotes public support for professional nursing education, research and practice.

“AACN plays a critical role in the quality of nursing education and practice,” Giddens said. “I’m honored and pleased to be a part of ensuring that our profession advances to address the constantly evolving needs in health care.”

Known for significantly influencing nursing education nationally and for developing innovative teaching and learning strategies, Giddens has served as president of the Virginia Association of Colleges of Nursing and is on the editorial boards of the Journal of Professional Nursing, Nurse Educator and the Journal of Nursing Education.

Giddens is an alumna of the Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows program and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Wharton Executive Leadership Program.