Hallmarks of Best Hallmarks of Best Practice~Practice~

Academic-Service Academic-Service PartnershipsPartnerships

Judy A. Beal, DNSc, RNJudy A. Beal, DNSc, RNInterim Dean—School of Health Interim Dean—School of Health

SciencesSciencesProfessor and Chair of NursingProfessor and Chair of Nursing

Simmons CollegeSimmons CollegeRobert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse

FellowFellow

Qualified BSN Entry Applications Qualified BSN Entry Applications Turned AwayTurned Away(AACN 2010)(AACN 2010)

Academic-Practice Academic-Practice PartnershipsPartnerships

A call for partnerships between educational A call for partnerships between educational and practice leaders and faculty and and practice leaders and faculty and practitioners that lead to broad based practitioners that lead to broad based support of clinical education has been given support of clinical education has been given (Ridenour, 2009). (Ridenour, 2009).

Broome (2009) broadens the message with Broome (2009) broadens the message with first a call for “disciplinary will” aimed at first a call for “disciplinary will” aimed at consensus building with stakeholders consensus building with stakeholders addressing steps to develop cost effective addressing steps to develop cost effective and high quality education initiatives. and high quality education initiatives.

The Academic-Practice Gap The Academic-Practice Gap keeps on getting wider…. keeps on getting wider….

RWJ Executive Nurse Fellowship RWJ Executive Nurse Fellowship ProjectProject

The Texas Project: Interviews with 72 The Texas Project: Interviews with 72 Nurse Executives, CNOs, directors, Nurse Executives, CNOs, directors, deans, facultydeans, faculty

IOM/RWJ Future of Nursing Education IOM/RWJ Future of Nursing Education ForumForum

American Association of Colleges of American Association of Colleges of Nursing Board Task Force LeadershipNursing Board Task Force Leadership

The Texas ProjectThe Texas Project

Needs AssessmentNeeds Assessment Pilot workPilot work Open Ended interview guideOpen Ended interview guide Interviews completed:Interviews completed:

– 6 System level Nurse Executives6 System level Nurse Executives– 3 Deans3 Deans– 63 CNOs, nurse managers, educators at 8 63 CNOs, nurse managers, educators at 8

practice sitespractice sites

Qualitative data will inform the development Qualitative data will inform the development of an instrument for national distributionof an instrument for national distribution

Common Themes from the Common Themes from the Executive Level ~ Executive Level ~

Characteristics of Best PracticeCharacteristics of Best Practice Mutual vision, goals, investment, Mutual vision, goals, investment,

commitment, decision making, problem commitment, decision making, problem solvingsolving

Shared VisionShared Vision Open and free communicationOpen and free communication Contact and engagementContact and engagement PresencePresence Personal relationship as foundationPersonal relationship as foundation Commitment to excellence Commitment to excellence More than student affiliationsMore than student affiliations

Common Themes from the Common Themes from the Managerial Level ~ Managerial Level ~ Characteristics of Best PracticeCharacteristics of Best Practice Consistent and ongoing communication Consistent and ongoing communication

between faculty and nurse managers and between faculty and nurse managers and staffstaff

Well prepared faculty: knowledgeable about Well prepared faculty: knowledgeable about institutional policies, clinically competentinstitutional policies, clinically competent

Consistent facultyConsistent faculty Faculty available to studentsFaculty available to students Faculty presence on unitFaculty presence on unit

Common Themes ~ Perceived Common Themes ~ Perceived Threats Threats

Time and $$$Time and $$$ PoliticsPolitics CulturesCultures WorkloadWorkload Lack of communication Lack of communication Curriculum ~ real world gapCurriculum ~ real world gap Lack of faculty consistency and preparationLack of faculty consistency and preparation Students unprofessional and faculty disrespectfulStudents unprofessional and faculty disrespectful No true partnerships~ clinical affiliations–” We No true partnerships~ clinical affiliations–” We

are not just real estate” are not just real estate”

Common Themes ~ Benefits Common Themes ~ Benefits and Value and Value

Intellectual stimulationIntellectual stimulation Creates a climate of learning and excellenceCreates a climate of learning and excellence Mentoring of staffMentoring of staff Staff encouraged to advance their educationStaff encouraged to advance their education Raises the level of practiceRaises the level of practice Keeps RNs current in EBPKeeps RNs current in EBP Greater and improved vision for health careGreater and improved vision for health care Grooms students for employmentGrooms students for employment

Common Themes ~ Common Themes ~ OpportunitiesOpportunities

A wish list for UTHSCSA from A wish list for UTHSCSA from CNEs CNEs

Joint appointmentsJoint appointments Research collaborationsResearch collaborations Articulation agreementsArticulation agreements New programsNew programs Staff educationStaff education Nursing Grand RoundsNursing Grand Rounds Shared TechnologyShared Technology Increased communication and involvementIncreased communication and involvement More clinical time for studentsMore clinical time for students Faculty as true partnersFaculty as true partners

Common Themes ~ Common Themes ~ OpportunitiesOpportunities

A wish list for UTHSCSA from A wish list for UTHSCSA from CNOs CNOs

Increased communication Increased communication Increased involvementIncreased involvement More clinical time for studentsMore clinical time for students Faculty more present and as true Faculty more present and as true

partnerspartners

ImplicationsImplications

These findings have significant These findings have significant implications for nursing practice and implications for nursing practice and faculty shortages.faculty shortages.

Academic and service are no longer a Academic and service are no longer a nicety but rather a necessity. nicety but rather a necessity.

We must work together to close the We must work together to close the gap between academia and practice if gap between academia and practice if we are to be successful in educating a we are to be successful in educating a workforce for the future.workforce for the future.

Increasing CommunicationIncreasing CommunicationBuilding RelationshipsBuilding Relationships

Next Steps…Some beginningsNext Steps…Some beginnings

Continued dialogue between Dean and Continued dialogue between Dean and CNEsCNEs

Beginning dialogue between faculty Beginning dialogue between faculty and their practice partners: gap and their practice partners: gap analysis, conversations for change, analysis, conversations for change, open spaceopen space

A summit and a call for actionA summit and a call for action AACN Task Force workAACN Task Force work PublicationsPublications