Reshaping the Future: An Innovative Academic-Practice Collaboration for COVID-19 Vaccinations and Testing

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic created significant challenges for healthcare organizations and nursing schools, including workforce shortages and disrupted clinical placements.
• Uncertainty regarding virus transmission and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages further complicated healthcare delivery and nursing education.
• Despite these hurdles, a focus remained on maintaining a competent nursing workforce and supporting pandemic response efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an innovative academic-practice collaboration between Yale New Haven Hospital and Quinnipiac University School of Nursing.
• To meet community needs for COVID-19 vaccination and testing.
• To provide undergraduate nursing students with essential community health clinical hours during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Established a partnership between a hospital and a university school of nursing.
• Integrated undergraduate nursing students into COVID-19 vaccine clinics and testing sites.
• Facilitated community health clinical experiences for students during the spring 2021 semester.

Main Results:

• Successfully provided valuable community health clinical hours for undergraduate nursing students.
• Supported hospital efforts in community COVID-19 vaccination and testing initiatives.
• Demonstrated a viable model for academic-practice collaboration during a public health crisis.

Conclusions:

• Academic-practice partnerships can effectively address community health needs during pandemics.
• Such collaborations offer crucial clinical learning opportunities for nursing students.
• Lessons learned from this initiative can inform future public health emergency responses and nursing education strategies.