Implementing innovation through education-practice partnerships

Calls to transform the healthcare system and evolve the preparation of healthcare professionals have increased in recent years. In response to the concerns and recommendations voiced in the series of national reports, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Board of Directors initiated a series of task forces from 1999–present. The pilot Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL™) initiative which grew out of the work of the task forces represents an exemplary national partnership between nursing education and practice. The CNL is a new nursing role being developed and piloted by the AACN in collaboration with education and practice leaders. An AACN task force, comprised of equal representation from education and practice, is currently working with 86 partnerships, including 92 schools of nursing and 191 health care institutions, to implement the CNL initiative. All of the partnerships have committed to collaboratively develop a master’s CNL degree program and to transform one or more units within the healthcare institution utilizing the new CNL role. Early patient care outcomes from the initiative are positive. However, one additional outcome realized from the initiative has been the coming together of nursing education and practice to achieve a common goal—improved patient care outcomes.