American Association of Heart Failure Nurses

What American Association of Heart Failure Nurses does

The American Association of Heart Failure Nurses (AAHFN) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership organization founded in 2004-2005 and headquartered in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. It is the only association dedicated exclusively to heart failure nursing and provides nursing education, clinical practice resources, and research support aimed at improving outcomes for heart failure patients. The organization is professionally managed by Association Headquarters Inc., a charter-accredited association management company, and operates with a small staff of fewer than ten people under CEO Karyn Lockshine, CAE.

AAHFN's core products include the CHFN (Certified Heart Failure Nurse) certification — the only specialty credential of its kind, accredited by both ANCC and ABSNC — along with a portfolio of education and research offerings: an annual national conference drawing 700+ attendees, the Heart & Lung peer-reviewed journal, The Connection quarterly newsletter, the Heart Failure Focus podcast, the Nurse Navigator certificate program, the CHFN Online Review Course, AAHFN Fellowship (FAAHFN), Nightingale Research Grants, the Heart Failure Prevention campaign, and a Patient Education Website.

AAHFN generates revenue through five streams: membership dues across five tiers ($85-$130/year), conference and event registration fees, CHFN certification and recertification fees, publications and merchandise through the AAHFN Store, and tax-deductible donations to the affiliated Heart Failure Patient Foundation (501(c)(3)) and AAHFN funds (501(c)(6)). It distributes these services through its website (aahfn.org), third-party education platforms (Digitell, Medscape), and in-person events, while engaging members via Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Name

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses

Legal name

American Association of Heart Failure Nurses

Website

https://aahfn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AAHFN is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit professional membership association founded in 2004 that serves registered nurses specializing in heart failure care through membership, the CHFN certification, annual conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and continuing education programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Mount Laurel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $85 to $130 depending on membership category (Active, International, Associate, Student, Emeritus). Memberships are renewed on a calendar basis.
2. Annual Meeting and Events: Registration fees for annual conferences and continuing education events. The 21st Annual Meeting and other educational programs generate significant revenue through attendee registration.
3. CHFN Certification: Certification and recertification fees for the Certified Heart Failure Nurse (CHFN) credential. Fees vary by exam type and recertification pathway.
4. Publications and Products: Sale of publications including the Heart Failure Nursing Certification Core Curriculum Review handbook, merchandise, and CHFN pins through the AAHFN Store.
5. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to the Heart Failure Patient Foundation (501(c)(3)) and non-deductible donations to AAHFN General Fund, Scholarship Fund, and Program/Educational Funds (501(c)(6)).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AAHFN is a specialty nursing association that delivers heart-failure-focused professional education, the CHFN certification credential, an annual national conference, peer-reviewed publications, continuing education programs, research grants, and patient education resources. Its members are registered nurses and healthcare professionals engaged across the continuum of heart failure care, including acute, ambulatory, home health, and advanced therapy settings.

Product overview

AAHFN operates as a professional membership association offering a portfolio of products and services centered on heart failure nursing. The core offerings include the CHFN (Certified Heart Failure Nurse) certification program, annual conferences, and peer-reviewed publications (Heart & Lung Journal and The Connection newsletter). Education is delivered through multiple channels: the Education Store powered by Digitell, the Nurse Navigator Certificate Program, CHFN Online Review Course, and Heart Failure Focus Podcast. The association supports research through Nightingale Research Grants and the Research Network. Additional programs include the AAHFN Fellowship Program, Heart Failure Prevention Campaign, Heart Failure Awareness Week, Scientific Statements, and a dedicated Patient Education Website. The membership platform (powered by YourMembership) provides access to all member benefits including CE activities, publications, advocacy tools, and networking resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AAHFN-CB: AAHFN Certification Board - the governing body for the Certified Heart Failure Nurse (CHFN) certification program
• Heart Failure Focus Podcast

Products and services

• Membership Professional membership program offering five tiers (Active, International, Associate, Student, Emeritus) priced $85-$130 annually, with benefits including discounted Annual Conference registration, free Heart & Lung journal subscription, member-only CE access, the CHFN exam discount, free digital newsletter, research grant eligibility, and advocacy tools.
• CHFN (Certified Heart Failure Nurse) Certification The only Accredited Certified Heart Failure Nurse credential, available in clinical and non-clinical nurse tracks. Recertification is required every three years. Accredited by the American Board of Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) and supported by an Online Review Course.
• Annual Meeting Annual national conference dedicated to heart failure nursing education, drawing 700+ attendees. Features keynote speakers, clinical sessions, poster presentations, networking, pre-conference workshops (Pharmacology, MCS Bootcamp), and CE contact hours. The 2026 Annual Meeting includes Post-Conferences on June 27.
• Heart & Lung Journal Official peer-reviewed publication of AAHFN publishing articles on acute and critical care, heart failure nursing, and chronic cardiac and pulmonary disorders. Published six times yearly with both print and online access for members.
• The Connection Newsletter Quarterly digital newsletter for heart failure nurses featuring Ask the Experts, Practice Protocols, Product Updates, Trial Summaries, Member Spotlights, and Letters to the Editor.
• Nurse Navigator Certificate Program Certificate program bridging cardiac care fundamentals with advanced disease-specific knowledge and program management skills. Offers 6.5 CE credits and includes an Amyloid Curriculum module with 3 additional CE credits. Members pay $150 and non-members pay $200, with institutional discounts available.
• Education Store Centralized platform for accessing educational activities including webinars, publications, conference recordings, and CE courses, powered by Digitell, Inc.
• CHFN Online Review Course Online examination preparation course for the Certified Heart Failure Nurse exam. Includes 7 contact hours and pairs with the Heart Failure Nursing Certification Core Curriculum Review textbook.
• Heart Failure Focus Podcast Podcast series providing ongoing education on heart failure topics for healthcare professionals. Episodes cover HF devices, remote monitoring, treatment options, and clinical topics like ECMO, CardioMEMS, and cardiac amyloid.
• Nightingale Research Grants Research grant program supporting innovative heart failure nursing research. Offers grants up to $1,000 for 12-month projects, with priority given to junior faculty and PhD/DNP students. Grant recipients must present at the Annual Meeting.
• Heart Failure Prevention Campaign Multifaceted 1-year campaign focused on HF prevention education. Provides webinars, guidelines, and resources on topics including lipid updates, tobacco cessation, diabetes management, exercise, hypertension, and lifestyle medicine.
• AAHFN Fellowship Program Professional distinction program recognizing experienced heart failure nurses. Requires 5+ years of HF nursing experience, 3+ years of CHFN certification, and 5+ years of AAHFN membership. AAHFN-F credential is earned upon completion. Application fee is $275 and an annual Fellowship Fee of $185 is required.
• Heart Failure Awareness Week Annual awareness campaign providing patient and caregiver education materials and resources, supporting the Embrace Heart Failure Prevention initiative.
• Patient Education Website Dedicated patient and caregiver resource covering all aspects of heart failure including self-care, diagnosis, treatment, advanced therapies, and co-existing conditions. Includes tip sheets and access to the Together in Heart Failure community.
• Scientific Statements Evidence-based guidance documents informing clinical practice and supporting quality care for heart failure patients, developed by AAHFN subject matter experts.
• Research Network Private moderated Facebook group connecting AAHFN members for research collaboration and networking between nurse clinicians and nurse researchers.
• AAHFN Store Online bookstore for publications, CHFN merchandise, certification pins, and educational materials, shipped weekly via USPS Priority Mail.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHFSA and AAHFN jointly published position statements on advocating for full scope of nursing practice and leadership in heart failure. Organizations collaborate on scientific statements and advocacy initiatives.
• Heart Failure Patient FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAHFN promotes donations to the Heart Failure Patient Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, for patient education and support. AAHFN refers patients to the Foundation's resources including the Together in Heart Failure Community.
• Nursing Community CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAHFN is a member of the Nursing Community, a coalition supporting nursing workforce development, education, and advocacy. The coalition addresses issues including Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization, workplace violence prevention, and healthcare policy.
• American Heart Association (AHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAHA collaborates with AAHFN on caregiver-focused programs and heart failure awareness events. Stephanie Barnes serves as a volunteer with AHA and AAHFN has presented at AHA chapter events.
• MedscapeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMedscape partners with AAHFN to provide continuing education activities on topics like Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, offering free CE credits to nurses and healthcare professionals.
• Association Headquarters InccoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAssociation Headquarters Inc provides professional association management services to AAHFN. As a charter accredited association management company, they handle operational aspects of running the organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA): HFSA is a multidisciplinary heart failure professional society that, like AAHFN, develops scientific statements, hosts annual meetings, and serves clinicians specializing in heart failure. AAHFN and HFSA jointly publish position statements, making HFSA the closest peer in mission and target audience, though HFSA's scope is broader (physicians, researchers, pharmacists).
• Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA): PCNA is a specialty nursing association focused on cardiovascular disease prevention — closely adjacent to AAHFN's heart failure focus. PCNA offers annual conferences, CE programming, and member benefits similar to AAHFN's structure, making it a near-direct comparable in size, mission, and revenue model.
• American Nephrology Nurses' Association (ANNA): ANNA is a specialty nursing association (similar size and structure to AAHFN) serving nephrology nurses. It offers CNN-NP certification, an annual symposium, and a peer-reviewed journal — closely mirroring AAHFN's CHFN certification, Annual Meeting, and Heart & Lung journal model.
• Society for Vascular Nursing (SVN): SVN is a small specialty nursing association providing CE, an annual conference, and certification for vascular nurses. Closely comparable to AAHFN in size, scope, and operating model — both serve a clinical sub-specialty within cardiovascular care with similar membership and conference revenue mechanics.

Broad incumbents

• American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN): AACN is a much larger specialty nursing association (100,000+ members) focused on critical care nursing. It offers continuing education, certification (CCRN), and an annual NTI conference. Comparable to AAHFN in operating model (membership, certification, conferences, CE) but at substantially greater scale and broader clinical scope.
• American Heart Association (AHA): AHA is a massive nonprofit that, like AAHFN, runs heart failure awareness campaigns and caregiver education. AAHFN has presented at AHA chapter events and collaborated on caregiver programs. AHA dwarfs AAHFN in scope and resources but overlaps significantly in heart failure patient and clinician education.
• Sigma (Sigma Theta Tau International): Sigma is the global nursing honor society and professional organization, offering continuing education, publications, and conferences. Comparable to AAHFN in mission and member benefits structure, though Sigma is broader (all nursing specialties) and operates at much greater scale internationally.
• National League for Nursing (NLN): NLN is a large nursing education organization offering membership, certification (CNE), and an annual summit. Operates a similar nonprofit membership model to AAHFN and competes for the same nursing CE dollars, though NLN focuses on nurse educators rather than a clinical specialty.
• Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN): AORN is a large specialty nursing association (40,000+ members) offering CNOR certification, Guidelines for Perioperative Practice, and an annual conference. Comparable to AAHFN in certification-plus-meetings operating model, though serving perioperative rather than heart failure nurses and at much greater scale.
• American College of Cardiology (ACC): ACC is a major cardiovascular professional society that produces heart failure clinical guidelines, hosts annual meetings, and offers clinician education overlapping with AAHFN's content. While ACC serves physicians primarily, its heart failure programming competes with AAHFN for industry sponsorship and clinician attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AAHFN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/aahfn
• Facebookfacebook.com/AAHFN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aahfn
• Instagraminstagram.com/aahfn_

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American Association of Heart Failure Nurses