Academic-Practice Partnership: Benefits and Sustainability of the Northeast Region VA Nursing Alliance.

Background: The Northeast Region VA Nursing Alliance is an academic-practice partnership founded in 2007 between the Veteran's Administration (VA) Boston/Bedford HealthCare Systems and six schools of nursing.

Method: The purpose of this retrospective review was to examine the outcomes of the Northeast Region VA Nursing Alliance in accordance with the mission, goals, and sustainability of the alliance.

Results: The review confirmed that the alliance has successfully accomplished the mission and goals and continues to be a leader in academic-practice partnerships.

Teaching Patient-Centered Care Through the Veterans History Project.

Determining the best ways to teach military culture and the veteran experience to nursing students and new nurses is an essential component in developing a culturally sensitive nursing workforce. The purpose of this article is to describe a theory-driven, experiential learning approach to integrating the Veterans History Project into the curricula for a postbaccalaureate nurse residency program. Participants acknowledged that this educational project better prepared them to care for the veteran population.

Dedicated Educational Nursing Unit: Clinical Instructors Role Perceptions and Learning Needs.

Over the past decade, health care leaders have called for a radical transformation in health care and nursing education. Patient care has become complex, demanding succinct interprofessional communication and collaboration to optimize the care of the patient, and the nurse at the bedside is the optimal leader at the point of care. Assistance with the clinical reasoning and critical thinking with nursing students is pivotal for successful patient outcomes.