Recorded presentation

Deborah Lindell, ND, APRN, BC and Theresa Standing, PhD, RN. Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44106-4904, 216-368-3740, dxl41@case.edu

Very little is known about community-academic partnerships (CAPs) from the community partner's perspective. The purpose of this presentation is to describe the findings of a study of community partners’ experiences with graduate nursing students. The rationale for partnerships between schools of health professions education and community organizations has been described in the literature. Principles of CAPs include reciprocity, focus on community-identified needs, and mutual planning, implementation, and evaluation. CAPs in higher education are often framed in the educational methodology of service-learning. The growing body of research concerning CAPs in higher education, health professions education in particular, reveals positive academic outcomes. However, there are few reports of research involving service-learning and CAPs graduate nursing education and there is a dearth of research designed to examine the community partner’s perspective of CAPs in health professions education. Community organizations’ perspectives of partnership with a graduate program of nursing were explored using the grounded theory approach to qualitative research. Interviews were conducted with 13 participants representing 13 community organizations that partner with the MSN Program, Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University. Participants reported a high level of satisfaction. The Basic Social Process was seen as “Connecting for Partnership”. Two levels of relationship, Teaming and Sustaining, were identified. Six stages were identified in the Teaming process. Seven factors influencing the relationships; unique advantages and challenges of working with MSN students; and strategies to facilitate partnerships were described. The findings were congruent with recent literature. Implications and directions for future research were identified.

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