Building an Academic-Practice Partnership to Support Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs have grown exponentially, and most require a project to graduate. However, finding project placements is challenging.This article describes an academic-practice partnership that formed between a health system and a public university in the Midwest for completion of projects. Method: A descriptive case study collected data in field notes on participants. An associate dean of research, an assistant professor, and a health system research nurse participated between 2016 and 2018. Results: Project placements started at four and increased to 24 over a year. A standardized workflow was established that matched student interest to system need, identified a mentor, facilitated internal review board determination, and provided access to an internal drive for data collection. Faculty were appointed to the system research council. Conclusion: Successful academic-practice partnerships include frequent communication to build trust, strategic analysis for rapid response to challenging situations, and addressing the interests of both parties.