Removal of nursing faculty practice barriers in academia: an evidence-based model

The goal of this faculty practice model is to provide a clinical practice site for faculty and provide clinical instruction for baccalaureate nursing students and primary health care services to an underserved, uninsured population in a nonprofit outpatient clinic setting. Community partnerships include a regional university, the city housing authority, local hospitals, the tri-county dental association, the United Way, and other community organizations. The facility is provided by the city housing authority, and the laboratory and diagnostic services are provided by the local hospital. The clinic nurse practitioners are university faculty, and clinical time is part of the faculty workload. Many barriers have been overcome, including lack of funding, increased faculty workloads, and proration of the state's allocation for higher education. Because the organization was initially set up as a nonprofit organization, federal, state, and local grants are available.