Nursing and Medicine: An Academic Partnership in Practice

College of Medicine and College of Nursing and Health Professions have collaborated to create a new model of convenient care.  The Convenient Care Center (CCC) opened in January, 2010. The Department Chair of the Nurse Practitioner programs was appointed Chief Nurse Practitioner Operating Officer at the center. In this dual administrative position, the Department Chair was instrumental in the planning, hiring, marketing and opening of the center.  The position continues with administrative leadership over the day to day activities. 

 Nurse Practitioners (NP) at the Convenient Care Center provide timely, quality care to patients with common minor medical ailments to people working or visiting in a busy downtown area.  The NPs have phone access to the collaborating Drexel physician who serves as the medical director.  The collaborative arrangement has proven to be beneficial partnership to both colleges. The College of Medicine is receiving patient referrals from the CCC to boost their general internal medicine and specialty practices. The College of Nursing and Health Professions has a practice site for their nurse practitioner faculty.  The Department Chair offers and schedules NP faculty 4 hour or 8 hour shifts per week depending on their teaching obligations.  The faculty practice model at the University offers faculty the opportunity to practice 20% of their contact which accounts for one 8 hour day per week.  The CCC is a clinical site for undergraduate nursing students and graduate nurse practitioner students.

This presentation will discuss the strategies involved in collaborating with other disciplines for a nurse practitioner practice. The discussion will address the benefits of collaborating and the process involved to maintain a successful partnership.