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Program Overview
To enable more nurses, hospitals and health systems to benefit from the CSI Academy experience, AACN has developed a flexible delivery model that can be scaled and tailored to an individual organization’s needs. The CSI Academy program supports healthcare organizations in fostering nurse-driven innovation that improves patient care, quality indicators, work environment and nurse retention by offering an interactive, experiential learning program. Our typical program spans 12 months ― a duration shown to help change “stick” ― though we offer a range of different options.
Individual nurses interested in the program should speak with their manager, director or CNO about bringing CSI Academy to their hospital.
How do I apply or get more information?
Our AACN CSI Academy faculty would be happy to discuss your hospital's needs and share more about participation options, pricing and achieving your organizational objectives. Please complete our request form to get the conversation started. We can also be reached aacncsi@aacn.org or 800-899-AACN (2226).
Participation Requirements
Do you have to be a nurse to participate in AACN CSI Academy?
Yes. AACN CSI Academy is designed to educate and empower direct care nurses to create positive change. Program participants must be nurses working at the bedside in at least a 0.8 FTE capacity. CSI nurse participants collaborate with other disciplines to achieve their project outcomes.
What type of nursing units can participate?
Nurses who work directly with patients in any area of the hospital or healthcare organization are invited to participate in AACN CSI Academy. Our alumni CSI Academy nurses practice in a wide variety of pediatric and adult critical, progressive, acute and long-term care areas.
How many nurses are on each CSI project team?
Each CSI Academy team is composed of two to four CSI nurses from a single unit. We’ve also had successful teams composed of nurses from two “sister” units. Alternative team composition may be discussed with program faculty.
What is the ideal number of participating units or teams per hospital?
We suggest participating hospitals aim to include as many teams as needed (up to 10) to maximize collaboration, impact and critical mass for creating sustainable change. However, the program is intended to meet your organization’s specific needs, and that may involve fewer teams.
Can we invite teams from other hospitals in our system or city to be part of the program?
Yes. You are welcome to invite teams of nurses from other hospitals in your system and collaborate with other organizations.
Program Outcomes
What patient care challenges have previous CSI Academy teams addressed?
AACN CSI Academy teams have focused on both clinical issues, such as hospital-acquired infections, early progressive mobility, delirium and pressure injuries, and professional practice issues such as communication, handoffs and staffing. Learn more by exploring our online library of CSI Innovation Projects.
What outcomes have CSI Academy teams achieved?
Nurse teams participating in AACN CSI Academy have achieved significant results with positive impact to patients, hospitals and nurses themselves.
- As a result of CSI Academy projects, patients have experienced a reduction in infections, length of stay, ventilator days, delirium, falls and other adverse events. Also, improvements to the unit environment through changes in staffing models, communication and handoffs have contributed to increased patient, family and staff satisfaction.
- Thus far, hospitals participating in CSI Academy report a combined cost avoidance/savings of approximately $84.2 million — an average of $ $673,000 per team — with an average median return on investment of 605% per team.
- Beyond the quantitative outcomes, chief nursing officers and team coaches participating in the program report increased staff engagement, staff and patient satisfaction, and professional growth, not only among CSI nurse participants but their unit colleagues as well.