Developing a Center for Nursing Scholarship and Leadership in Kansas

Abstract

Most states in the United States have nursing centers that focus on workforce issues, although some centers focus on nursing research and scholarship. Kansas does not currently have a state‐wide center of any type. In recent summits of nurse educators and clinical nurses in Kansas, participants identified the need for a state‐wide center for nursing excellence that would support nursing research, scholarship, and the development of nurse leaders. Prior to developing the new center, data from state workforce and other centers of nursing excellence were collected to identify the purpose, mission, organizational structure, and funding mechanisms that have guided development of other centers. Data were collected from the web sites of the 33 established workforce centers and from several additional, institution‐based centers. Content analysis was used to identify common themes for the purpose, structure, and funding of centers and these findings In addition to the summary reports from the state‐wide summits of nurse educators and clinical nurses, were used to guide development of a proposed center for Kansas. The Kansas Center for Nursing Scholarship & Leadership will be virtual, independent, and not‐for‐profit. The Center will have an Advisory Council that will include participants state‐wide, from all levels of nursing education, nursing practice, and regulatory partners. Strategies for development, implementation, and evaluation of a state‐wide Center for Nursing Scholarship and Leadership are discussed. In addition, strategies for promoting innovative, collaborative projects across educational levels and between schools and clinical partners are suggested.