The linkage that worked: the Catholic University of America/Carroll Manor Teaching Nursing Home Program

The TNH at the CUA/CM site included a group of people who agreed to direct their mutual commitment to common goals; they operated within a shared belief system, agreed to model a liaison that would result in quality care for the elderly, and hoped to create interest in gerontological nursing by increasing the number of prepared gerontological nursing specialists. Four areas of clinical knowledge enabled the success of this project: practice, education, administration, and research. The elements of this one situation can be translated into criteria that guide the establishment and maintenance of a TNH, namely: Two critical ingredients: a nursing home and a school of nursing with an undergraduate and a graduate nursing program; A formal agreement that specifies; a shared mission statement; responsibilities in the school and in the nursing home for practice, education, administration, research, and consultation; Clearly defined roles for the nursing faculty in the nursing home, and for the professional nursing staff in the school of nursing; Opportunity for faculty and agency input into respective institutions at all levels, including the highest policy making level; and A steering committee with representation from the school of nursing and the nursing home that guides the functions of the teaching nursing home activities; Depending upon the circumstances, the environment, and the people, other persons may or may not be able to replicate this model. Whether or not replication is possible, there may be some aspects of this experience that will suggest positive avenues to explore with the hope of establishing collaboration linkages, between nursing education and nursing service.