Demonstrating a Nurse-Driven Model for Interprofessional Academic-Practice Partnerships

Patient surges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the pre-existing and worsening nursing workforce shortage, have exacerbated the need to implement strategies that build a pathway to expand the current and future nursing workforce. Ideal strategies connect education and practice, based on supply and demand for healthcare professional skills. NursingNow, a global campaign that includes a USA initiative, declared the mission to elevate nurses and has called for them to be agents of change by leading innovative solutions to existing problems. This article highlights two such nurse-led innovation exemplars that fostered the connection of education and practice to engage interprofessional students. We describe the development and implementation of these initiatives and accomplishments achieved. The discussion reviews issues around contracts, compliance, and accreditation; incentives for partnerships; and the development of a health professional student corps. The call to action invites nurses, as the largest healthcare workforce, to consider leadership roles in efforts to incentivize centralized solutions and ongoing academic-practice partnerships.