The nurse academic in the clinical learning setting: an evolving partnership role

Student readiness for practice as a registered nurse can only be achieved through a committed and cooperative partnership between the tertiary and clinical sectors. One important role in the development and maintenance of clinical learning partnerships is that of the nurse academic. As nursing faculties continue to evolve this role it is important that positive initiatives be shared and challenges discussed. With this in mind, the role of the nurse academic in clinical practice introduced at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) will be presented. A nurse academic who fulfils this role at UTS is known as an Academic Liaison Person (ALP). This paper begins with a general exploration of the role of the academic in the clinical learning setting and then discusses the associated challenges. The role of the ALP at UTS and its integration with the UTS clinical model for final year students will be presented as a response to these challenges. Through this model the educational expertise of the ALP and the clinical expertise of the practitioner is brought together for the benefit of the nursing student.