When academia meets practice: a new hybrid role in community nursing

It cannot be disputed that the NHS is under considerable pressure, with the nursing workforce struggling to meet increasing demands. As the current government is focussing on care closer to home, community nursing needs to consider how it is going to maintain provision of care and attract more staff, particularly newly qualified nurses. Pre-registration programmes often do not focus adequately on community nursing, in both curriculum content and placement availability, and this issue needs to be addressed. In addition, once qualified, community nurses often struggle to embrace evidence-based practice for a number of reasons, which can leave them feeling undervalued and frustrated. The author has been appointed to a unique post, being employed by both a higher education institute and a foundation trust in east London. It is anticipated that this hybrid role will provide insights into the challenges faces in both these areas and strategies can be put in place to address them efficiently.