Partnership between academic nursing and clinical practice: a qualitative study

Objective To assess the impact of a partnership between a nursing school and a large-scale urban hospital on healthcare education, practice and research. Methods The qualitative study was conducted from April 2013 to January 2014 at a nursing school and an urban hospital at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia in the United States, and comprised health professionals including nursing faculty members, nurse clinicians and nurse managers from the two institutions. Data was collected through in-depth interviews using an open-ended questionnaire. Data was subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results Of the 16 health professionals, 8(50%) were faculty members at the school of nursing, and 8(50%) were nurse clinicians/manager at the hospital. Major themes that emerged were mutual gains and benefits; clinical educators as the cornerstones of the partnership; leaders as key actors; and roadblocks to sustaining collaboration. The partnership benefitted both parties, particularly those in clinical practice, despite some challenges to long-term sustainability. The roles of clinical educator and team leader were critical in both settings. Conclusions The partnership between academics and practice carried critical importance in terms of enhancing quality patient care, student training, professional development and increasing research capacity.