Assessment of an Educational Innovation Project to Bridge the Theory–Practice Gap in Nursing

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the opinions of instructors and clinical nursing staff regarding the effectiveness of an innovative teaching program intended to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in nursing education, and to examine the perceived need among students pursuing this degree to address this discrepancy. Background The nursing profession has struggled with a long-standing divide between theoretical knowledge and practical application. Design Evaluation study of an innovative teaching project. Methods Faculty nurses undertook clinical observerships with practicing nurses in hospital settings. Once the observerships were completed, 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Nursing students were also invited to participate by completing an ad hoc questionnaire regarding their perceptions of the project. Results Three themes were identified: (1) The Transformative Potential of Collaborative Practice; (2) Relational Synergies and Institutional Constraints; and (3) The Theory–Practice Gap Re-Examined: Student-Led Pathways for Educational Reform. The student participants assigned the project extremely high ratings for appropriateness and suggested integrating it into other courses. Conclusions This project facilitated collaboration and communication between the clinical and academic settings, enabling teachers to evaluate the practical application of classroom content in real-world clinical settings and adapt their methods and course materials in response to identified needs.