Contractual issues for faculty practice

Contracts are a common foundation for faculty practice relationships between a college of nursing and other agencies. Although the legal format of a contract is relatively standardized, the process of contracting entails decisions and issues that increase its complexity. Little is available in the faculty practice literature that addresses contracts and contractual issues as a comprehensive whole. This article contains discussions of nursing faculty practice contractual issues such as the elements of a contract as a framework, including competent parties, offer, consideration, and acceptance. Evaluation of contract performance is addressed and alternatives for decision making and problem resolutions are suggested throughout. J Prof Nurs 17:173-179, 2001.