The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #69832

Jeanne A. Matthews, PhD, RN, Arlington County Department of Human Services, Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, 1800 North Edison St, Arlington, VA 22207, 703-228-5202, jmatthews@co.arlington.va.us and Diane Downing, RN, MSN, Arlington Department of Human Services, Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, 1800 North Edison Street, Arlington, VA 22207.

The call for a strong connection between nursing education and practice is an ongoing one. The development of faculty practice models, in response to that call, has fostered the maintenance of clinical competence in nursing educators, in addition to providing advance practice skills for the clinical arena. Following the IOM Report on The Future of Public Health (1988), the need for academic-practice linkages in public health nursing was reaffirmed. Such linkages hold the promise of blending professional strengths to enhance the knowledge and skills of current and future public health nurses. While it is not uncommon to find ongoing collaboration between academic and public health practice in nursing, a true integration of both the academic and practice roles is unusual. During a seven year collaboration between Arlington County Public Health Division and Georgetown University School of Nursing and Health Studies, the two separate roles have gradually evolved into two nursing positions combining both academic and practice roles. This presentation will examine the gradual integration of public health nursing academic and practice roles, the professional development of faculty and practice partners, the enhancement of community partnerships, and the impact on student experiences in the Health Department. Lessons learned will be shared, and future plans will be explored.

Learning Objectives:

Following the session, the learners will be able to:
• Discuss the development of an academic-practice partnership in public health nursing.
• Articulate the impact of integrated academic-practice roles on the participants, students and organizations.
• Evaluate their organizations' potential for supporting an academic-practice partnership.

Keywords: Public Health Nursing, Nursing Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.