Faculty Practice Resource Center

FACULTY PRACTICE MODELS

Based on existing literature in the early 1990s, NONPF identified four models of faculty practice:

UNIFICATION MODEL

The unification model, established in 1972, unifies administration of the clinical agency and the school of nursing. All levels of faculty serve jointly as clinicians and educators.

COLLABORATIVE MODEL

The collaborative model formalizes collaboration between faculty and clinicians by joint appointments. Instead of one person simultaneously holding positions at both the school and clinical agency as in the unification model, a faculty member's prime responsibilities are with the school though they may have an appointment within the clinical area. Although the administration of school and clinical area are separate, some of the salary costs may be shared.

INTEGRATED MODEL

An integrated model involves faculty and graduate students sharing patient care responsibilities.

ENTREPRENEURIAL MODEL

The entrepreneurial model allows faculty to design their practice, determine its goals and objectives, and provide client services as part of their faculty duties. The term “private practice model” is used commonly in the literature, but entrepreneurship is a more appropriate term because it allows many varieties of practices which may or may not include private practice. The entrepreneur is broadly defined as one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risks of a business or enterprise. The coined term “intrapraneur” refers to an entrepreneur working within an organization and may be more suitable for faculty who practice within their faculty roles.

(These models are excerpted from: Potash, M. & Taylor, D. (1993). Nursing faculty practice: Models and methods. Washington, DC: NONPF.)

Please share other models of faculty practice. Send definitions and citations to us.