BSN Learning Pathways: A Leadership Collaboration to Prepare and Retain New Nurses in Specialized Practice Areas

Current nursing shortages, particularly in complex practice or specialty areas, coupled with high attrition rates of both seasoned and new graduate nurses, have required nursing leaders to consider creative approaches to recruit, prepare and retain nurses in specialty areas. This article describes a collaborative partnership between post-secondary institutions and health authorities in one province to address the need to prepare and retain nurses in high-priority specialized areas, such as the intensive care unit or the emergency department. This partnership allows for a proactive connection that leverages the strengths and resources of both healthcare and educational institutions. This model could be implemented by various institutions to meet educational and personnel resourcing needs in other areas and potentially other healthcare professions.