Minnesota: Essentia honored for academic-practice partnerships

Essentia Health has been recognized by The American Association of Collegiate Nursing (AACN) for our commitment to meaningful academic practice partnerships.

This fall, Essentia received the 2024 AACN Exemplary Academic-Practice Partnership Awards, acknowledging our partnerships with nursing programs at the College of St. Scholastica and the University of Minnesota. Essentia Health is the only organization to be recognized with two of these awards in a single year.

Essentia received its awards in October during the AACN Academic Nursing Leadership Conference (ANLC) business meeting in Washington, D.C.

Collaborations such as these are essential in our journey to achieve the Magnet Nursing Designation, the highest credentialing for nursing facilities in the United States.

Along with the University of Minnesota and the College of St. Scholastica, Essentia has formed similar partnerships with schools of nursing at North Dakota State University; Minnesota State University Moorhead; the University of Mary; Northwood Technical College; Lake Superior College; and La Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College. Indeed, we have more than 20 academic practice partnerships in place across our system.

“The connection through academic practice partnerships makes way for collaboration, academic progression, improved practice environments and innovation in both nursing practice and health care as a whole,” said Jamie Astrup, a Magnet program director at Essentia.

“It has been a privilege to work toward this academic practice partnership alignment over the years and see how our intentionality has benefitted not only our students’ experiences and job prospects but the level and quality of care available in our community,” said Dr. Sheryl Sandahl, professor and chair of St. Scholastica’s nursing department. “This award is a meaningful recognition of many years of hard work and insight.”

Effective academic practice partnerships prepare nurses of the future to care for patients while being leaders. Academic and practice partners share a commitment to:

• Maximize the potential of each registered nurse to reach the highest level within their individual scope of practice.
• Determine an evidence-based transition program for students and new graduates that is both sustainable and cost effective.
• Develop, implement and evaluate organizational processes and structures that support and recognize academic or educational achievements.
• Support opportunities for nurses to lead and develop collaborative models that redesign practice environments to improve health outcomes.
• Establish infrastructures to collect and analyze data on the current and future needs of the RN workforce.

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing is the national voice for academic nursing.

These partnerships are crucial at a time when hospitals and health systems are navigating a shortage of nurses, especially in rural communities. According to the Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota health systems outside the Twin Cities have experienced a 22% increase in nurse departures compared to 2023. Also, the Health Resources and Services Administration projects a shortage of 78,610 full-time registered nurses in 2025.