Bridging practice and academia: A feasibility study of the Scalable Nurse Academic Practice Partnership Initiative (SNAPPI) to address nursing faculty shortages in Texas.

BACKGROUND: Texas faces a critical nursing shortage that is compounded by a shortage of qualified nursing faculty. Bedside nurses represent a promising pool of potential educators, but compensation disparities, scheduling burdens, and fragmented role expectations limit participation in academic teaching. PURPOSE: This study evaluated the Shared Nurse Academic Practice Partnership Initiative (SNAPPI), a multi-site academic-practice partnership model designed to integrate bedside nurses into formal clinical teaching roles while allowing them to remain in practice. METHODS: Guided by feasibility domains adapted from Bowen et al. (2009), this multi-site feasibility study examined the implementation of SNAPPI across four healthcare systems. Surveys and operational indicators were collected from students, SNAPPI Registered Nurses (RNs), School of Nursing personnel, unit leaders, partner representatives, and financial stakeholders to assess implementation, practicality, acceptability, demand, and perceived value. Exploratory academic outcomes were also examined to provide contextual information. RESULTS: SNAPPI was implemented across four participating healthcare systems and was associated with strong stakeholder support, positive student experience, and high perceived professional value among participating nurses. Descriptive academic comparisons did not reveal observable adverse differences within this cohort. Time and cost findings provided early operational insight into the shared appointment model. CONCLUSIONS: SNAPPI appears feasible to implement within academic-practice partnership settings and shows promise as a workforce-oriented strategy for expanding clinical teaching capacity. The findings support continued investigation of the model through broader multi-site and comparative study.