Strengthening Academic-Practice Partnerships Through Shared Vision, Strategic Planning, Collaboration and Teamwork

Although it is well recognized that strong academic-practice partnerships are a win-win for faculty, students, nurse leaders and clinicians, these relationships are often challenging, even within academic medical centers with schools of nursing. This presentation will outline strategic steps that were taken to strengthen the academic-practice partnership between a research-intensive college of nursing and a comprehensive academic medical center. An exciting vision for the partnership was first developed between the dean of the college and the chief nursing executive of the medical center. Next, the role of the chief nursing executive was formally established as an assistant dean in the college. Along with the chief nursing executive, key nursing leaders in the medical center and academic leaders were involved in the creation of bold new strategic plans for each organization. Implementation of the strategic plans is currently underway.   Rapid exciting changes were made in academic curricula, which resulted in substantial savings for the medical center’s new graduate orientation while collaborative efforts resulted in a 50% increase in RN-BSN enrollment and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) enrollment. A new nurse executive DNP program has been conceptualized and will begin in the near future. In addition, a new collaborative Center for Transdisciplinary Evidence-based Practice (EBP) was launched with a main purpose of improving healthcare quality and patient outcomes as well as furthering education of students and clinicians in EBP.  A strengthened partnership between academia and practice can enhance educational curricula and improve healthcare quality as well as catapult innovations and improvements for both colleges and medical centers/hospitals.