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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Bethany A. Hall-Long, PhD, RN, Department of Nursing, University of Delaware, McDowell Hall, Newark, DE 19716, 302-831-8362, blong@udel.edu
PURPOSE: This paper, a response to a call for proposals to improve baccalaureate nursing students' public health experiences from the U.S. Division of Nursing, describes Partners in Action (PIA): University of Delaware (UD) and Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a replicable academic-public health partnership. The goal of PIA is to increase the public health nursing service, research, and education experiences of baccalaureate student nurses and preceptors. PIA is a needed program since 25% of DE's public health nursing workforce will retire by 2005. PROGRAM/METHODS: Creation and implementation strategies of PIA and its13-member advisory board are described. PIA is integrated into the junior and senior community heath nursing courses, focusing on medically under-served areas. A cohort of 26 students initially participated in PIA and received extensive public heath training and 5 academic credits. The creative service-research based projects of students are articulated in detail. DPH nurse preceptors, nursing students and faculty interacted on a regularly basis via conferences, in-services, and WEB chat-lines. FINDINGS/IMPLICATIONS: Student, faculty, staff, and community summative and formative outcome measures are presented. Over 85% of evaluations were positive and reflect the value of the partnership for BSN education, public health staff development, and community health impact. Twenty-five percent of the student cohort applied for a position in community health upon graduation. Limitations of PIA are analyzed. The paper concludes with strategies to energize nurse educators and public health administrators to create such partnerships for the expansion and advancement of the public nursing workforce.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Nursing Education, Partnerships
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.