The STTI Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award: honoring innovation, partnership, and excellence

To describe the benefits and barriers associated with practice-academe partnerships and introduce Sigma Theta Tau International's (STTI's) Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award and the 2009 award recipients.

In 2008, STTI created the CNO-Dean Advisory Council and charged it with reviewing the state of practice-academe collaborations and developing strategies for optimizing how chief nursing officers (CNOs) and deans work together to advance the profession and discipline of nursing. The Council, in turn, developed the Practice-Academe Innovative Collaboration Award to encourage collaboration across sectors, recognize innovative collaborative efforts, and spotlight best practices. A call for award submissions resulted in 24 applications from around the globe.

An award winner and seven initiatives receiving honorable mentions were selected. The winning initiatives reflect innovative academe-service partnerships that advance evidence-based practice, nursing education, nursing research, and patient care. The proposals were distinguished by their collaborators' shared vision and unity of purpose, ability to leverage strengths and resources, and willingness to recognize opportunities and take risks.

By partnering with one another, nurses in academe and in service settings can directly impact nursing education and practice, often effecting changes and achieving outcomes that are more extensive and powerful than could be achieved by working alone.

The award-winning initiatives represent best practices for bridging the practice-academe divide and can serve as guides for nurse leaders in both settings.