Impact, Volume 20, Number 3, March/April 1991 Page: 5
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Nurse Academic Collaboration Task Force
Completes Successful First Yearin November 1989, Commissioner
Dennis Jones appointed a statewide, nine-
member task force to promote nursing
academic linkages between Texas schools
of nursing and state facilities and commu-
nity MHMR centers. The task force
recently completed its one-year commit-
ment and was so successful that Commis-
sioner Jones asked the group to continue
its activities for an additional year.
Task force members include four
academic faculty: Jean Deliganis, MSN,
RN, of Incarnate Word College in San
Antonio; Peggy Drapo, PhD, RN, of
Texas Women's University College of
Nursing in Denton; Celia Harris, RN,
MSN, EdD, of the Health Sciences
Division of Midland College; and Bonnie
Rickelman, EdD, RN, of the University of
Texas at Austin School of Nursing. Four
facility and community center staff also
serve on the task force: Tyra Carmichael,
MS, RN, of Abilene State School; Ruby
Ferguson, RN, BSN, of the MHMR
Authority of Harris County's Mid-City
MH Clinic; Ollie Miller, MEd, RN, of
Fort Worth State School; and Rosie
Urban, MGA, RN, C, BSN, of San
Antonio State Hospital. Diane Faucher,
TDMHMR nursing director, and Lillian
Kay Cowan, nurse recruiter, are included
in the group.
According to Faucher, "The task force
has had a very busy year." She explained
that the group first assessed needs within
the system, then developed a 12-point
plan to foster academic linkages.
"One of the most successful points in
the plan has been providing consultation
to state facilities and community centers
interested in developing academic
linkages," reported Faucher. "The task
force developed consultation teams that
provided a number of consultations
during the past year. The payoff of these
consultations has been establishment of
eight new academic linkages between
Texas schools of nursing and MHMR
facilities and centers."
Another accomplishment of the task
force was developing a directory of
nursing schools for use by nursing0
zTDMHMR nursing director and nurse
academic collaboration taskforce
member Diane Faucherinvolving student rotations, three state
facilities have developed joint appoint-
ment positions. Faucher noted that "these
newly created joint appointments not only
represent new linkages, but also are
tangible evidence that the department is
moving in the direction of building
partnerships with schools of nursing."
As the task force begins its second year,
numerous new initiatives and projects are
underway. These include an effort to
continue to improve the image of public
sector nursing through publications;
several articles describing nursing within
the MHMR system will be published in
nursing literature. A directory of facilities
and centers within the agency's service
system will be developed for use by
nursing schools. The task force plans to"We believe that academic linkages are
excellent strategies for improving the qualify
of services as well as for promoting
recruitment and retention of nurses."directors in targeting schools which
would be appropriate for academic
collaboration linkages. The group also
developed guidelines for nursing student
orientation.
In its well-received "Spread the Word"
campaign, the task force tackled the
negative image and misunderstanding that
too frequently colors people's perception
of the TDMHMR service system.
Through the campaign they also strived to
increase understanding of the value of
academic linkages in general. "Task force
members have, in effect, become a
speakers bureau and have addressed more
than ten major groups concerning these
issues," said Faucher.
Completing its first year, the task force
has increased the visibility of nursing as a
professional discipline within the agency
and has increased awareness of the
importance of academic collaboration. In
addition to new academic linkagescomplete a study to determine how
academic leaders view the MHMR system
as potential sites for clinical training. Finally,
they will continue their consultation service
and public speaking campaign.
Describing the importance of creating
and reinforcing academic linkages in the
nursing field, Faucher said, "We believe
that academic linkages are excellent
strategies for improving the quality of
services as well as for promoting recruit-
ment and retention of nurses.
"Likewise, we believe that faculty
involvement in our service system gives
students an opportunity to obtain a
realistic view of the system. It creates
opportunities for faculty to be better
teachers." UImpact March/April 1991 5
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Texas. Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Impact, Volume 20, Number 3, March/April 1991, periodical, March 1991; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1588551/m1/5/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.