IN 2016, a transformative report was published by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing that outlined the current changes in health care and called for strategic initiatives to better align academic nursing with its practice partners and interprofessional colleges.1 The impetus for the report came from discussions of deans from academic health centers who were witnessing the rapid health care changes, and believed that a more focused attention was needed to clarify nursing's contributions to academic health centers.2 The New Era Report describes a framework for assessing nursing's vision and mission for academic nursing and outlines 5 areas of focus:

1. Enhancing the clinical practice of academic nursing;

2. Partnering in the preparation of the nursing workforce of the future;

3. Partnering in the implementation of accountable care;

4. Investing in nursing research programs and better integrating of research into clinical practice; and

5. Implementing an advocacy agenda to support a new era for academic nursing.

This section of Nursing Administration Quarterly highlights how one university system has responded to the need for alignment between academia and practice. Nurse leaders at Emory University describe their journey of the integration of the New Era Report into their educational/practice partnerships.

The Woodruff Health Science Center (WHSC) at Emory University was established in 1966 and encompasses the components of Emory University responsible for education of health professionals, research affecting health and illness, patient care, and policies for prevention and treatment of disease. All of Emory's hospitals and clinics are united into 1 system of care (Emory Healthcare); currently includes 7 acute care hospitals and a large network of ambulatory clinics across Atlanta and Georgia; and is the most comprehensive health system in the state. The WHSC also includes Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health, along with a national primate research center, a comprehensive National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded cancer institute, and a global health institute. In addition, health systems affiliated with the WHSC include the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Grady Memorial Hospital, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. This complex structure creates challenges in collaboration and communication across each entity, but also offers immense opportunities for advancing academic nursing.

Articles in this collection illustrate the major focus areas described in the New Era Report. Corwin and Gullatte describe a framework for integrating research and evidence-based practice across the education/practice environment, including how scientists from a top NIH-ranked School of Nursing partners to support clinical nursing research and to prepare nurses to fully embrace evidence-based practice. A nurse-managed innovative practice model is described by Clevenger, where advanced practice nurses provide supportive primary care to clients and families coping with dementia. Martyn and Bernard present a model of a seamless pathway from the role of a student to being an employee in an academic health system, including how educators and nurse leaders work together to develop effective residency programs. Kelly describes her faculty practice, research, and joint appointments between the university and the Atlanta VA Medical Center. The chief development officer for the academic/practice partnership describes how philanthropy can be employed in recognition of the impact of nursing care, and in support of expansion of partnership initiatives.

While each academic health center will forge its own unique academic partnership, these examples provide exemplars of initiatives and future directions that can result from shared strategic planning and collaboration. Other initiatives that are in progress, but not detailed in this issue, include interprofessional education/practice initiatives and overarching workplace culture development that supports the growth of nurses, both as students and in practice. The opportunities are endless.

REFERENCES