| Description |
Background: Low-income, first-time mothers face significant challenges, including limited healthcare access, inadequate social support, and high stress levels, which contribute to persistent health disparities, especially in rural and minority populations. The Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP) program, established in 1977, provides evidence-based support through home visits by registered nurses from pregnancy until a child's second birthday to improve maternal and child health outcomes. Integrating graduate nursing students into the NFP program through an Academic-Practice Partnership (APP) offers opportunities to enhance nurse training while expanding NFP's capacity to serve vulnerable families and reduce health disparities. Local Problem: Utah faces unique challenges in addressing maternal and child health due to its high birth rate-13 live births per 1,000 residents in 2023, compared to the national average of 10.7 live births. This elevated birth rate, coupled with significant health disparities among minority and low-income populations, highlights the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve outcomes for vulnerable families. Expanding evidence-based programs, like NFP, is critical to addressing these issues. Methods: A needs assessment was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of integrating graduate nursing students into the NFP program through an APP. Semi-structured interviews were held with key stakeholders, including academic leaders, NFP administrators, nursing directors, students, and healthcare system representatives. Interviews explored perceived benefits, challenges, readiness, resource needs, and impacts on client care. Responses were transcribed and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Interventions: Interventions included a literature review and semi-structured stakeholder interviews to assess the feasibility of integrating graduate nursing students into the NFP via an APP. The literature review established an evidence-based context. Stakeholder interviews explored barriers, facilitators, sustainability, and resource needs, informing the development of evidence-based recommendations for APP implementation. Results: Interviews with nine participants-students, faculty/leadership, and NFP national service office directors-were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Key themes, organized into Background, Obstacles/Compliance, Supporting Progress, Program Development, and Performance Metrics. The "Background" category explores academic-practice partnerships from established programs and NFP perspectives. "Obstacles and Compliance" highlights barriers and legal considerations. "Supporting Progress" encompasses resources and facilitators for successful implementation. "Program Development" focuses on curriculum, skills, and training for implementation. Finally, "Performance Metrics" includes sustainability measures and success indicators. Conclusion: Three key points emerged consistently across the interviews: concern regarding potential student interference in nurse-client relationships, emphasis on systemic support for the program, and the importance of integrating NFP concepts into nursing curricula. These recurring themes underscore the critical areas of focus for successful implementation of an APP. By addressing these key considerations, the NFP and colleges of nursing can effectively implement APPs to improve outcomes for vulnerable populations. |
