Building Bridges for Future Care: Strengthening Nursing Education through Partnership
The University of NC Wilmington Nursing School leadership's visit to the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System is a key step in building a strong academic partnership to improve clinical education, promote workforce development, and ensure a skilled nursing workforce for veterans' care.
On Friday, January 31, 2025, the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System welcomed Dr. Patricia D. Suplee, Director and Distinguished Professor and Dr. Anita Smith, Associate Director of Admin and Clinical Professor, from the UNCW Nursing program. The primary goal of their visit was to foster an academic partnership between the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System and UNC Wilmington. This would be achieved by improving clinical education opportunities, promoting collaboration, and exploring methods to enrich training experiences for students.
A successful outcome would involve cultivating a beneficial partnership for both UNC Wilmington and VA. “This initiative seeks to increase the number of graduates entering VA programs, including our new Post-Baccalaureate Registered Nurse Residency Program, RN Transition-to-Practice Program, and other career opportunities within VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System. We aim to enhance recruitment efforts by partnering with academic institutions to inspire students to pursue long-term careers within the VA system.” expressed Dr. Cynthia Mcarthur-Kearney, Chief Nurse, Nursing Education.
Additionally, the visit supports the VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System’s 2025 Nursing Education goals by promoting collaboration, innovation, and workforce development to prepare future nurses for high-quality, evidence-based care. A potential partnership between Fayetteville VA and UNC Wilmington aligns with national nursing education priorities, ensuring that nursing students receive thorough competency-based training.
The VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care System's 2025 Nursing Education goals emphasize:
- Enhancing clinical education and experiential learning.
- Workforce readiness and retention.
- Interprofessional education and collaboration.
- Lifelong learning and professional development.
Such partnerships would also directly support these priorities by fostering hands-on learning, workforce readiness, interprofessional collaboration, and career opportunities for students. With the VA being the largest educator of healthcare professionals in the U.S., Heather Grindstaff, Associate Director of Patient Care Services at VA Fayetteville Coastal Health Care system states that, "Partnerships with local academic affiliates ensure appropriate incorporation of evidenced based practice into clinical practice, participation in Veteran specific training opportunities, and assurance of highly trained/skilled workforce.”