Using an Academic-Practice Partnership to Address the Perioperative Nursing Shortage

The nursing shortage continues to affect perioperative nursing negatively. Multiple factors, including a lack of exposure to the perioperative nursing specialty during baccalaureate nursing programs, influence the number of applicants for open perioperative positions. In 2018, we formed a collaborative academic-practice partnership to address this critical gap at our facility. We created an interactive learning program that included a scenario in a fully equipped OR simulation suite to provide nursing students with exposure to the perioperative setting. Students who participated in the experience reported that they appreciated exposure to an OR environment and engaging with perioperative personnel. Additionally, there was an increase in the number of nurse externship applications and students who were interested in completing their capstone experience in perioperative settings at our health care system. These positive outcomes illustrate that an effective collaboration between academic and clinical practice leaders can increase nursing students' interest in perioperative nursing.