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Clinical Excellence Winning Collaboration with Clinical Partners through Faculty Practice Nursing is a profession and a discipline that requires continuous practice and academic advancement. Therefore, it is imperative for all HKU School of Nursing academic staff members to strengthen their clinical skills and draw upon evidence based principles in the practice domain. Since 2016, the School has developed the Faculty Practice scheme, which has now become an integral part of the academic role at all levels of appointment at the School. Academic staff members are given Honorary Nurse appointments within Hospital Authority settings, mainly Queen Mary Hospital (QMH), to engage in Faculty Practice, undertaking and supporting the work of clinical units in surgical, medical and orthopaedic wards. The objectives of Faculty Practice are to enhance clinical knowledge and skills of the academic staff; to contribute to their clinical scholarship; to support the work of clinical units to ensure safe and competent practice through the provision of specific expertise as clinician, educator, researcher or consultant; to contribute to the provision of health services; to strengthen teaching and learning strategies and initiatives; and finally to strengthen links between the University and the practice domain. With effective communication and constructive collaboration between the School of Nursing and the Central Nursing Division (CND) in QMH, obstacles have been overcome. Administrative processes and logistical arrangements have been formalised and standardised. Outcomes and feedback from QMH and Honorary Nurses have been positive. Clinical heads and delegates commented that the Faculty Practice scheme is ‘a win-win programme to connect teaching and clinical nursing colleagues. It could also enhance the clinical teaching to nursing students’ . It acts as an effective communication bridge and enables knowledge exchange between the academics and the clinical practitioners. It also consolidates and aligns clinical practice with the clinical teaching of nursing students. Honorary Nurses commented that Faculty Practice is able to enhance rapport and communication between ward staff and clinical teaching. Faculty Practice provides ‘opportunities to update the management of clinical skills and to review bedside nursing care management’ . It also enriches clinical competency and enables protocols and guidelines in nursing care to be updated. All these are essential for the clinical education and coaching of nursing students during practicum. Faculty Practice also provides a constructive knowledge exchange on the discussion of evidence based practice, rehabilitation nursing and better management of patient care. Faculty Practice as a scheme has shown itself to be successful. Since its inception in 2016, the number of enrolments has increased from 12 Assistant Lecturers to over 20 in 2017/18 and the duration of the practice has lengthened from 2 weeks to 4 weeks in 2017/18. Going forward in 2018/19, around 20 Lecturers will be joining the Assistant Lecturers for a continuous 4 weeks in surgical, medical and orthopaedic wards, as well as different specialities. Both the School and the clinical field are excited about this collaboration. The School believes that Faculty Practice not only maintains the clinical competency and standards of academic staff; it also strengthens the relationship between the School and the clinical field. Most importantly, it helps in closing the gap between the clinical teaching of our nursing students and real life clinical nursing practice for the betterment of quality healthcare in Hong Kong. Ms. Samantha Chong Associate Professor (Nursing Practice) 4