Abstract
A strong academic-practice partnership in nursing is pivotal for educational institutions and healthcare organizations to advance the profession and foster healthy work environments.1 This presentation describes the process of creating and sustaining the Tarheel Academic Practice Partnership (TAPP), a robust collaboration between two healthcare agencies and our school of nursing. The first big success of the partnership was achieved when the TAPP secured external funding to develop a program that promotes healthy work environments for current and future nurses.
The guiding principles developed, and recently reaffirmed, by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership2 provided the framework for our journey to TAPP. After building relationships, we executed a charter signed by the three nurse executives defining the principles of shared vision, mutual benefit and respect, clear communication and collaboration, resource sharing, continuous learning and improvement, equity and inclusion, and sustainability. Roles and responsibilities were clearly delineated. An ongoing needs assessment continues to identify synergies and inform our plan. Following the first TAPP retreat, the partnership quickly embraced an opportunity to secure external funding to address workplace violence.
According to the American Nurses Association3, nearly one in four nurses experiences physical, verbal, mental, and/or emotional violence in the workplace, negatively impacting the work environment, recruitment, and retention. To address this critical issue, promote a healthy work environment, and improve nurse retention, TAPP is integrating the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Standards for Healthy Work Environments (HWE)4 into a simulation training program tailored to workplace violence, in alignment with the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practices.5 The training is for nurses and nursing students to improve de-escalation skills and safety. This project demonstrates the value of academic practice partnerships and the tremendous impact on promoting healthy work environments.
Notes
References:
1. Robertson, B., McDermott, C., Star, J., & Clevenger, C. (2021). The academic-practice partnership. Nursing Administration Quarterly, 45(4), E1-E11. https://doi.org/10.1097/NAQ.0000000000000487
2. Association of Colleges of Nursing & American Organization for Nursing Leadership. (2023). Academic-Practice Afternoon of Dialogue Summary Report. American Association of Colleges of Nursing and American Organization for Nursing Leadership. Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Reports/AONL-AACN-Afternoon-of-Dialogue-Summary-March-2023.pdf
3. American Nurses Association. (2024). Workplace Violence/#EndNurseAbuse. Retrieved from https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/end-nurse-abuse/
4. American Association of Critical Care Nurses. (2022). Critical Care Nurse Work Environment Study: Healthy Work Environment Survey. Retrieved from https://www.aacn.org/nursing-excellence/~/media/0256f1e8e3f24aa3af416c9977803d08.ashx
5. INACSL Standards Committee. (2021). Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM. Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 58, 1-64. https://www.nursingsimulation.org/issue/S1876-1399(21)X0008-4
Sigma Membership
Alpha Alpha
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
N/A
Research Approach
N/A
Recommended Citation
Howard, Valerie; Rhine, Lorie; Jacobs, Jacci; Kellish, Ashley; Acoin, Julia; Overman, Angela; Kim, Sinhye; and Peterson, Becky, "The Impact of a Robust Academic-Practice Partnership: Workplace Violence Simulation Training" (2025). Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE). 111.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/chwe/2025/presentations_2025/111
Conference Name
Academic-Clinical Partnership, Workforce, Simulation
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
The Impact of a Robust Academic-Practice Partnership: Workplace Violence Simulation Training
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
A strong academic-practice partnership in nursing is pivotal for educational institutions and healthcare organizations to advance the profession and foster healthy work environments.1 This presentation describes the process of creating and sustaining the Tarheel Academic Practice Partnership (TAPP), a robust collaboration between two healthcare agencies and our school of nursing. The first big success of the partnership was achieved when the TAPP secured external funding to develop a program that promotes healthy work environments for current and future nurses.
The guiding principles developed, and recently reaffirmed, by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership2 provided the framework for our journey to TAPP. After building relationships, we executed a charter signed by the three nurse executives defining the principles of shared vision, mutual benefit and respect, clear communication and collaboration, resource sharing, continuous learning and improvement, equity and inclusion, and sustainability. Roles and responsibilities were clearly delineated. An ongoing needs assessment continues to identify synergies and inform our plan. Following the first TAPP retreat, the partnership quickly embraced an opportunity to secure external funding to address workplace violence.
According to the American Nurses Association3, nearly one in four nurses experiences physical, verbal, mental, and/or emotional violence in the workplace, negatively impacting the work environment, recruitment, and retention. To address this critical issue, promote a healthy work environment, and improve nurse retention, TAPP is integrating the American Association of Critical Care Nurses Standards for Healthy Work Environments (HWE)4 into a simulation training program tailored to workplace violence, in alignment with the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practices.5 The training is for nurses and nursing students to improve de-escalation skills and safety. This project demonstrates the value of academic practice partnerships and the tremendous impact on promoting healthy work environments.
Description
The Tarheel Academic Practice Partnership (TAPP) aims to advance the nursing profession and foster healthy work environments. In this presentation, we share the process of using Association of Colleges of Nursing and American Organization for Nursing Leadership guiding principles to create the partnership and the positive impact of co-creating an externally funded project to address workplace violence for current and future nurses. This partnership facilitates a healthier work environment.