Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC)

The Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) provides funding for Academic Nurse Educator Certification (ANEC) awards to faculty who demonstrated excellence as an academic nurse educator through achieving and maintaining the National League for Nursing's (NLN's) Certified Nurse Educator (CNE) credential. Certification in any field is a mark of professionalism. For academic nurse educators, it establishes nursing education as a specialty area of practice and creates a means for faculty to demonstrate their expertise in this role. It communicates to students, peers and the academic and health care communities that the highest standards of excellence are being met. By becoming credentialed as a certified nurse educator, you serve as a leader and a role model.

As recognition of their professionalism and in support of their ongoing faculty development requirements necessary to maintain the credential, the ANEC award is intended to reinforce the use of the CNE as one measurement of excellence in nursing programs and retain outstanding academic educators. We recognize nurse faculty for FY 2019, FY 2020, FY 2021, FY 2022, and FY 2023 .

Maryland institutions with nursing degree programs may nominate an unlimited number of full-time nursing educators and nurse faculty who have successfully met the eligibility requirements and completed the examination for the NLN's CNE credential. These awards will assist Maryland nursing programs in recruiting and retaining nursing faculty to produce the additional nursing graduates required by Maryland's hospitals and health systems. $170,000 was awarded to 34 full-time nurse faculty at higher education institutions in Maryland in Fiscal Year 2023.

Awards: Funding will be provided to higher education institutions for distribution to their recipients of the Academic Nurse Educator Certification awards. The maximum amount of the faculty award will be $5,000 for each new CNE or renewal of CNE, approved through an annual nomination process with documentation of the completion of the CNE certification or renewal of the CNE credential, assuming continuous employment at the school and the availability of funding.

Since the CNE credential is in effect for five years from the initial or renewal, the award is allowed only once every 5 years and can be used over this period to cover initial and renewal costs. If awarded, recipients are required to complete an annual NSP II Faculty Award Survey each Fall for five years to support program evaluation.

Eligibility: Nominees should have a graduate nursing degree and must be either employed in or offered and accepted a full-time nursing faculty or other nursing education position within the nursing program, as certified by the Dean or Director if the institution. To be eligible, nominees must have completed the CNE credentialing process within the prior or current FY. Faculty nominees already holding the CNE credential are eligible at completion of renewal with clear explanation of original certification dates and official documentation from NLN of another 5 years of certification as a CNE. Nurse faculty are eligible to reapply for this award each time they are recertified as a CNE at five year intervals.

Nomination Process: Nominations are to be made by the institution's Dean or Director of Nursing, who will identify qualified candidates. All required information must be submitted electronically in one PDF document to laura.schenk1@maryland.gov & kimberly.ford@maryland.gov, in addition to sending a hard copy that is postmarked and sent via USPS to the Maryland Higher Education Commission by March 15, 2024. This includes, but is not limited to:

Name and current curriculum vitae for each faculty being nominated for the award
Verification of the date of hire, title of position and confirmation that the faculty is employed full-time;
A copy of the NLN score sheet indicating the faculty member passed the certification examination or CNE certificate for renewed certification;
A letter from the nominated faculty that includes their current nurse educator functions and the impact of the CNE on their role at their institution. The letter should include whether the faculty attended a CNE Workshop hosted by NSP II, including the date or prepared for the certification exam independently. The date of original CNE achievement and CNE renewal should be clearly stated along with the NLN CNE certificate #.

Selection Method: A selection panel will review all nominations that are submitted for ANEC awards. The participant is not required to attend an NSP II hosted CNE Workshop, but should include information in their letter on whether they did, and what additional activities they credit with being successful on the certification exam. The documentation of completion of the credentialing process with awarding of the CNE can be completed through a copy of the CNE examination score sheet, certificate or letter of notification from NLN. The number of awards will be dependent upon the number of nominations and the availability of funding.

Allowable uses of funds, in agreement with the institution's policies:

To assist with graduate education expenses, such as tuition and loan repayment
To pay for any activities for professional development and continuing education to maintain credentials
To pay for conference fees, travel, hotels, food, and expenses for speaking engagements
To pay expenses related to dissertation research or capstones, including research assistants, statistical services, travel, and other fees to expedite completion of degrees
To pay for licensure and certifications fees in their educator and clinical specialty
To pay for computer/laptop, research instruments, statistical and other software
To pay for subscriptions to professional journals and books
To pay professional dues
To conduct research and publish work in peer-reviewed journals
To supplement the fellow's salary.
Any expense that meets the reasonable person criteria for any expense to further a nurse faculty's career

Funds are available to awardees at the discretion of the higher education institution up to 5 years and as long as the faculty member remains full-time. All items purchased by the faculty using these funds remain the property of the faculty as opposed to belonging to the school that assisted them with the acquisition process in accessing or ordering items with their personal faculty award funds.

FY 2024 ANEC Nominations
Must be received electronically in one PDF document and in hard copy postmarked by March 15, 2024 to:
Maryland Higher Education Commission
Office of Outreach and Grants Management
Attention: Academic Nurse Educator Certification Program
6 N. Liberty Street, 10th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201