Building academic-practice partnerships for clinical instructor partners: A step-by-step implementation framework

North Carolina faces a persistent nursing workforce shortage, intensified by limited faculty to support expanded student enrollment. This paper provides step-by-step guidance for establishing academic-practice partnerships in which practicing nurses serve as Clinical Instructor Partners (CIPs), a dual-role position in which a nurse divides time between direct patient care and teaching nursing students. Key steps for developing partnerships are outlined, including stakeholder identification, partnership formation, environmental assessment, operational and financial model design, standardized CIP training, and ongoing monitoring. The paper also discusses considerations for sustaining the program, clarifying roles, ensuring shared accountability, and evaluating outcomes. Emphasis is placed on connecting partnerships into regional or statewide networks to share resources, maintain consistency, and support scalability. Following this framework allows institutions to expand nursing education capacity while retaining skilled nurses in clinical roles. The guidance is adaptable across diverse academic and practice settings and offers a practical approach for organizations seeking to establish or grow dual-role nurse programs within a coordinated network.