Workforce development: An academic practice partnership journey

Abstract

The nursing workforce shortage demands comprehensive, innovative solutions across academic and clinical settings. Beginning in 2019, a strategic partnership was created between a large Midwestern university school of nursing and its associated academic health center to address workforce challenges and implement targeted initiatives. Key initiatives included student apprenticeships to support new graduate nurses, the development of functional teams to ease critical workforce shortages during Covid-19, and the implementation of ‘red carpet clinicals’ to facilitate student experiences in the clinical arena. Additional programs included blended hires and an innovative Unlicensed Assistive Personnel program to support both hospital staffing needs and nursing education preparation. Although these programs yielded various levels of success, the partnership highlighted the importance of transparency, vulnerability, vision, and open communication. We examine the outcomes of these multiple interventions, highlighting lessons learned and focusing on the importance of continuous quality improvement in workforce development and nursing education.