Center of Excellence to build nursing scholarship and improve health care in Italy.

Abstract

This article profiles the establishment and initial phase (2010-2014) of a Center of Excellence (CoE) as an instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship and improve health care in Italy. This CoE is unique as a non-university-based center. The National Regulatory Board of Registered Nurses, Health Visitors, and Pediatric Nurses (IPASVI) designated substantial administrative and funding support to the CoE for advancing nursing education, clinical practice, research development, and research training. Boyer's Model of Scholarship underpinned the CoE's conceptual framework, and its operational infrastructure was adapted from the U.S. National Institutes of Health P20 program award mechanism. Diverse methods included sponsoring research studies by nurse-led teams, research training courses, nursing education longitudinal studies, evidence-based practice training, and related pilot studies. Multiple collaborative projects were conducted via the CoE in conjunction with the successful launch of an expansive digital library and communication system accessible to nurses. The introduction of English proficiency courses was also a unique contribution. The CoE concept is a potential instrument to strengthen nursing scholarship in Italy with potential scalability considerations to other global settings. An overlapping focus on research, education, and practice under the umbrella of nursing scholarship within a CoE while engaging all levels of nursing is important to impact healthcare changes.