| Learning Objective #1: Strengthen understanding of the value of community collaboration in research for students, faculty and subjects/setting | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Apply principles of innovation, mentoring, leadership and creativity in nursing group research to foster future thinking and potential elimination of health care disparities |
How better to meet the need for future creative, innovative leaders than to deliberately prepare those currently in the educational system? Using this deliberate method, nursing faculty can provide opportunities to strengthen the capacity, growth and development of future nursing leaders. Early and sustained exposure to collaboration, knowledge of health care policy development and fostering partnerships with people and groups who share common goals will form and sustain nursing leaders.
This project describes the intertwined roles of faculty and graduate students in a large western university with the local public school community to capitalize on an opportunity to improve adolescent health in an alternative high school serving vulnerable youth. This year-long, academic-calendar project was designed to serve the multiple purposes of exploring the knowledge of adolescents toward their own health, providing quality and evidence-based health interventions, acting in collaboration with the school administration and faculty, and simultaneously enhancing the graduate students' exposure to and development of leadership talents. Each student completed a thesis as a portion of their academic commitment.
Of the many purposes and goals of this project, the graduate student achievement and success in the development of their own image and capabilities as nursing leaders was vital. As an academic endeavor, this group project fostered development of future leaders, while enhancing the sustainability of nursing leadership and education. Student participation, with directed faculty and collaborative community support, is a model for future academic endeavors.