A successful academic collaborative to increase nurse faculty in New Jersey

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Academic Collaboration
• Higher Education Administration

Background:

• The demand for qualified nurse faculty and advanced practice nurses necessitates innovative educational models.
• Existing nursing education programs faced challenges in meeting the dual needs of clinical practice and faculty preparation.
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation NJ Nursing Initiative and NJ Chamber of Commerce provided funding for this collaborative effort.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the successful implementation of the New Jersey Nursing Education Collaborative (NJNEC).
• To outline an innovative master of nursing program designed to prepare students as advanced clinical/practice nurses and nurse faculty.
• To analyze the collaborative using O'Neil and Krauel's (2004) factors for effective partnerships.

Main Methods:

• The NJNEC involved four independent state colleges and universities across New Jersey.
• The collaborative structure was evaluated based on four key factors: institutional strategy, partner value, mutual goals, and accountability.
• The program aimed to graduate students with dual roles in advanced practice nursing and nursing education.

Main Results:

• The NJNEC demonstrated a successful model for inter-institutional academic collaboration in nursing.
• The collaborative successfully integrated diverse institutions with separate governing structures and student populations.
• The program successfully prepared graduates for dual roles as advanced practice nurses and nurse faculty.

Conclusions:

• The NJNEC serves as a successful case study for academic-nursing education partnerships.
• Key factors for effective collaboration, including strategy, value, shared goals, and accountability, were crucial to the NJNEC's success.
• Challenges in faculty preparation and collaborative maintenance were identified for future consideration and improvement.