Strengthening Nursing Science Impulses for the Further Development of Nursing Science at University Hospitals Strategies for Academic Excellence, Clinical Impact, and Structural Integration

Nursing Science as a Key Driver of Evidence-Based and High-Quality Health Care Nursing science is a central prerequisite for an evidence-based, future-oriented, and high-quality health care system. In many countries, it is structurally embedded within university medicine—whereas in Germany, this is only the case in isolated instances. There is a lack of clinically affiliated professorships, structured research programs, and coherent, transparent career pathways for academically qualified nurses. As a result, their potential remains largely untapped. This paper summarizes recent national positions from three key publications (German Society of Nursing Science, 2025; German University Medicine, 2025; Müller, Köpke, & Meyer, 2025) and interprets them from the perspective of 24 nursing scientists from various university hospitals and medical faculties. It is complemented by their strategic considerations and practical experiences and serves as a basis for internal discussion. The aim is to take up the current discourse and provide impulses for how nursing science can be further strengthened and sustainably embedded within university hospitals. Five strategic fields of action are in focus: Qualification and Career Pathways: Development of coherent academic career trajectories from bachelor’s to habilitation level, establishment of clinician scientist models, mentoring structures, and academic leadership roles. Research in Clinical Practice: Creation of research-supportive structures, promotion of interprofessional collaboration, and development of a national research agenda (Müller et al., 2025). Visibility and Communication: Strategic public relations and the internal and external communication of scientific contributions (German Society of Nursing Science, 2025). Political and Higher Education Integration: Legal anchoring of advanced nursing roles, representation in governance bodies, and establishment of leadership positions (German University Medicine, 2025). Implementation of New Roles: Introduction and evaluation of new roles (e.g., Advanced Practice Nurse, APN) and the development of clinical deployment profiles for academically educated nurses in clinical care (Müller et al., 2025). By strategically expanding nursing science, university hospitals can not only strengthen quality of care and innovation but also position themselves as centers of excellence for interprofessional, research-driven health care.