Evolving the practitioner-teacher role to enhance practice-academic partnerships: a literature review.

Aims And Objectives: The purpose of this article was to review the development of the practitioner-teacher model and its use in advancing clinical nursing.

Background: The practitioner-teacher role, or the unification model, incorporates clinical practice, teaching, consultation and research responsibilities for nurses serving in advanced clinical roles or as nursing faculty as part of professional nursing practice. The practitioner-teacher role facilitates a practice-academic partnership that can serve as a beneficial way to advance clinical nursing care.

Philanthropy as a source of funding for nursing initiatives.

Nurse leaders are challenged with ensuring that research and evidence-based practices are being integrated into clinical care. Initiatives such as the Magnet Recognition Program have helped reinforce the importance of advancing nursing practices to integrate best practices, conduct quality improvement initiatives, improve performance metrics, and involve bedside nurses in conducting research and evidence-based practice projects. While seeking research funding is an option for some initiatives, other strategies such as seeking funding from grateful patients or from philanthropic resources are becoming important options for nurse leaders to pursue, as the availability of funding from traditional sources such as professional organizations or federal funding becomes more limited.

Promoting professional nursing practice: linking a professional practice model to performance expectations.

Professional practice models (PPMs) provide the conceptual framework for establishing professional nursing practice. Integrating a PPM requires complex organizational change. One strategy for integrating a PPM is to directly link the PPM with performance expectations to ensure that underlying beliefs are integrated into everyday practice.

Point-of-care technology supports bedside documentation.

As the conversion to an electronic health record intensifies, the question of which data-entry device works best in what environment and situation is paramount. Specifically, what is the best mix of equipment to purchase and install on clinical units based on staff preferences and budget constraints? The authors discuss their evaluation of stationary personal computers, workshops on wheels, and handheld tablets related to timeliness of data entry and their use of focus groups to ascertain the pros/cons of data-entry devices and staff preferences. An assessment of the implications for costs related to the timeliness of data entry is also presented.

How to select end user clinical data entry devices. Rush University Medical Center develops tool to identify the quantity of devices needed for the implementation of a new EMR and CPOE system.

Selecting the right types and quantities of computers to support data entry to an inpatient Electronic Medical Record (EMR) can be challenging. In addition to software and hardware considerations, many other variables affect the decision including staffing levels, hospital workflows, and floor plans. Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) developed a tool to help identify the quantity of devices needed in a Patient Care Unit (PCU).

Developing an advanced practice nursing credentialing model for acute care facilities.

Credentialing of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in acute care settings is an essential practice, but care must be taken to ensure that full utilization of the scope of practice and capacity of APRNs is attained. The process of credentialing and privileging involves the verification of required education, licensure, and certification to practice as an APRN along with the recognition of the scope of the individual APRN's practice based on training, education, and practice setting. Nursing administrators are challenged with ensuring that APRNs are credentialed and privileged and that appropriate mechanisms exist within the institution for promoting recognition of the scope of practice of APRNs.