Duke University School of Nursing (DUSON) and the Duke University Health System (DUHS) launched the Duke Advancement of Nursing, Center of Excellence (DANCE) in a unique collaboration to promote personal professional advancement and lifelong learning for all nurses and nursing students. Launched in 2015, the program hopes to advance the health of the communities and demonstrate Duke’s commitment to excellence in patient-centered care.

“Academic-practice partnerships like this one leverage the tremendous intellectual and social talents nurses across both settings have,” said Marion E. Broome, PhD, RN, FAAN, dean and Ruby Wilson Professor of Nursing for DUSON, vice chancellor for Nursing Affairs for Duke University and associate vice president for Academic Affairs for Nursing for Duke University Health System.

DANCE is built upon the commitments of two major pillars of growth: Pillar 1 supports lifelong learning and Pillar 2 promotes evidence-based practice, research and innovation.

“The design of the DANCE collaboration is intentional,” said Mary Ann Fuchs, DNP, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, vice president of Patient Care and system chief nurse executive for Duke University Health System and associate dean of Clinical Affairs for DUSON. “The DANCE Pillars build on the organizational strengths of DUHS nursing and DUSON and purposely support mutual goals which we believe advances clinical care, supports students and promotes internal and external influence of Duke Nursing.”

The vision of Pillar 1 is to build and nurture a learning environment for students and nurses to promote professional practice both now and in the future. Pamela Edwards, EdD, MSN, RN-BC, CNE, associate chief nursing officer for Education at DUHS and associate consulting professor for DUSON, is co-director of Pillar 1 along with Lisa Day, PhD, RN, CNE, associate professor for DUSON. This pillar was created because transformative learning experiences begin during the pre-licensure student program and curricula are highly dependent on exposure to learning opportunities with nurses who are expert care providers.

“Innovative, responsive curricula are informed by close connections to those experts in practice,” Edwards said. “Career advancement for the nurse in practice requires exposure to experiences in which the individual nurse sets career goals and obtains new knowledge, skills, support and coaching from faculty who assist in achieving those goals.”

DANCE has established goals for Pillar 1 that were identified as being important for both academic and practice settings: align student experiences with the needs of students, the School and the Health System; collaborate on educational funding initiatives to increase outcomes data for nurse-led models of care; maximize the intellectual property and expertise of students, faculty and nurses at all levels; promote initiatives that support and advance career aspirations and professional development; and engage all nurses across Duke to generate awareness of the shared collaborative.

Program initiatives include attaining the National League for Nursing Center of Excellence in Nursing Education designation for “Creating Workplace Environments That Promote the Academic Progression of Nurses,” awarded in summer 2016; and developing the Duke Nurse Extern Program, allowing nursing students the opportunity to work for DUHS. The skills and experiences gained during the externship will help prepare nursing students to enter the nursing profession and bring them closer to their career goals. Four DUSON students will be part of the program's inaugural cohort.

“This type of exposure is critical for graduate nursing students who work collaboratively with nurse experts to gain new knowledge and skills,” said Edwards. “In addition, they will simultaneously offer unique skills to their coaches during their program experience.”

The vision of Pillar 2 is to generate and implement knowledge to support evidence-based practice and integrate collaborative scholarship and research in the academic setting and practice environment. Bradi Granger, PhD, MSN, RN, FAAN, professor for DUSON and director of the Duke Heart Center Nursing Research Program, is co-director of Pillar 2 along with Judy Prewitt, DNP, RN, AOCN, NEA-BC, associate chief nurse officer for Duke University Hospital and clinical associate for DUSON.

This pillar was created because an expanded knowledge base regarding existing evidence and the tools and skills required to implement that evidence into clinical practice engages nurses in contributing to increasing access to care, improving outcomes based on high-quality interventions and developing highly effective, efficient care models that will reduce the cost of care.

“Pillar 2 within DANCE provides a collaborative forum for the generation and implementation of evidence-based practice and research for Duke nurses in the clinical and academic settings,” said Prewitt.

The goals that DANCE established for Pillar 2 assist in reducing gaps in care and improve the quality of care delivery: establish a culture in which students and nurses embrace clinical inquiry as the foundation for practice; develop the skills of students and nurses at all levels regarding evidence-based practice, research and innovation as well as implementation of existing knowledge into practice for the improvement of patient outcomes and the advancement of the nursing profession; promote nursing initiatives that lead to quality-focused nursing interventions, improved patient/family-centered outcomes and the advancement of the nursing profession; support the identification and development of publications and presentations that incorporate students, faculty and nurses at all levels; and foster creativity and innovation to address current and future needs in the delivery of transdisciplinary health care.

To learn more about DANCE, visit dance.nursing.duke.edu.