Developing a practice-academic partnership logic model

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education and Practice
• Healthcare Partnerships
• Organizational Capacity Building

Background:

• Effective practice-academic partnerships are crucial for advancing nursing education and healthcare delivery.
• Existing theoretical frameworks often lack practical, testable models for establishing and sustaining these collaborations.
• Bridging the gap between academic nursing and clinical practice requires structured approaches to foster mutual capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a testable logic model designed to build collaborative capacity between academic and practice partners in nursing.
• To illustrate the application of this logic model in establishing a successful partnership between a School of Nursing and a community hospital.
• To provide concrete examples of the model's components and their role in guiding partnership development and outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A deductive approach was employed to construct the logic model, drawing from established theoretical evidence in the research literature.
• The model underwent a year-long iterative testing and refinement process, incorporating inductive evidence to validate its components and linkages.
• The logic model was utilized as a guiding framework for School of Nursing faculty and hospital nurse leaders.

Main Results:

• The logic model successfully guided the establishment of a functional practice-academic partnership.
• Specific inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes were identified and exemplified through the partnership's development.
• The partnership demonstrated sustained engagement 2 years post-pilot, indicating the model's effectiveness in fostering long-term collaboration.

Conclusions:

• The developed logic model provides a practical and testable framework for cultivating robust practice-academic partnerships in nursing.
• Key outcomes of the partnership, including a new clinical placement model, academic appointments, and research collaborations, highlight the model's impact.
• This model serves as a valuable tool for enhancing collaborative capacity and achieving tangible results in nursing education and practice settings.