Clinical education partnership: a model for school district and college of nursing collaboration

Collaboration between school districts and universities has potential to increase the level of health services available in schools while providing quality public health clinical nursing placements for universities. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Clinical Education Partnership Model (CEPM), a dynamic framework that specifies four sets of factors necessary for high-quality clinical learning experiences for nursing students in school settings: essential school district structures, essential college of nursing curriculum and arrangements, the interface of the district and university within the community context, and program outcomes. The CEPM was piloted over three semesters with public health nursing students with positive evaluative feedback and shows evidence of sustainability. The CEPM provides a solid foundation for ongoing mutually beneficial collaborative relationships in which school nursing practice and school health are enhanced and academic programs are enriched.