Strengthening Community Partnerships Through Sponsorship

Abstract

Session presented on Thursday, September 25, 2014, and Wednesday, September 24, 2014: For the past 28 years, the Delta Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau has partnered with a local College of Nursing to promote nursing scholarship within the community through an event entitled Kaleidoscope of Nursing Research Day. The Kaleidoscope of Nursing Research Day is a half-day event that showcases faculty, clinical partner and student research in order to celebrate nursing scholarship. Three years ago, the Delta Phi chapter became the sole promoter and planner of this event as a result of changes within the College. In an effort to sustain the culture of scholarship, as well as to improve publicity of the event, the Delta Phi chapter of Sigma Theta Tau initiated a pilot project to identify community sponsors willing to partner with our chapter to promote nursing research and collaboration. Sponsorship letters were developed by the chapter board and distributed to five prominent clinical partners central to the success of the traditional baccalaureate nursing program. Levels of sponsorship were defined by chapter leaders and sent to chief nursing executives or regional administrators locally. Support was garnered from three of the five community agencies - two of which provided support at the gold, or highest level. Sponsors were given the opportunity to provide displays advertising their organization at the event as well as encouraging nursing employees to submit abstracts and participate in the dissemination of their scholarship. One sponsor indicated gratitude for the invitation to support nursing scholarship while also encouraging their employees to pursue nursing research. The support of these prominent health care agencies within our community lends credibility to the event as well as enhances connections between clinical and academic settings. This successful pilot provided encouragement to continue to expand partnerships with community agencies while fostering shared scholarship to serve the needs of our community. Future plans are in place to reach out to additional community partners for the advancement of nursing scholarship and research within our community.