Office of Strategic Partnerships & Practice

The Office of Strategic Partnerships and Practice (OSPP) at the Orvis School of Nursing is dedicated to building strong, sustainable collaborations that improve health and strengthen communities. Our work centers on creating partnerships that advance OSN’s tripartite mission in education, research, and practice—with a focus on service and community engagement.

Through the OSN Faculty Practice Plan, our faculty experts and nursing students work alongside partners to deliver high-quality care and implement system-level solutions that address community health needs. These collaborations not only enhance access to care but also prepare the next generation of nurses through real-world learning experiences.

Partnering to advance health and education

Our mission

Our mission is to cultivate and sustain strategic partnerships that advance nursing practice, education, and research to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities across Nevada and beyond.

Our vision

Our vision is to become Nevada’s leading center for collaborative nursing practice development—where strategic partnerships drive transformative advancements in nursing care and healthcare delivery to advance health equity and the well-being of Nevadans.

News

StreetReach team in front of the mobile health unit.

$500,000 Washoe Opioid Abatement and Recovery Fund expands StreetReach services

Washoe County funding will expand nurse-led mobile health services for people experiencing homelessness and those at risk for opioid use disorder

Nurse practitioner student with mother and baby.

Orvis School of Nursing launches three new microcredentials

Flexible online programs prepare learners for careers in clinical research, reproductive and perinatal mental health and healthcare simulation

StreetReach Team outside including Jasen Brooks, RN, Theresa Watts, RN, and Natalie Davidson.

StreetReach expands access to care for Reno’s unsheltered communities

Initiative delivers compassionate nurse-led healthcare beyond clinic walls

More News

Microcredentials

Build specialized skills and advance your career in high-demand healthcare fields.

Basics of Healthcare Simulation
This online, practice-ready course introduces the essential knowledge and hands-on skills required for success as a Healthcare Simulation Technician. Open to learners without prior healthcare experience or University enrollment.

Creating a Realistic Simulation Experience
This is the second online course in a three-part series, followed by a practicum. It introduces the essential knowledge and hands-on skills needed for success as a Healthcare Simulation Technician.

Introduction to Clinical Research
This online course provides learners with a comprehensive overview of clinical trial operations and research fundamentals. Designed for nurses, medical and nursing assistants and health science students. Eligible for 10 CEUs.

Reproductive and Perinatal Psychiatry
This online course prepares healthcare professionals to better support patients experiencing mental health challenges related to pregnancy, postpartum, infertility and reproductive loss. Eligible for 10 CEUs.

Initiatives

Improving health outcomes, strengthen communities and prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Nurse Practitioner and student in the clinic

Offering free integrated nursing and behavioral health services

The Resilient Nevada Initiative, led by the University of Nevada, Reno’s Orvis School of Nursing and the Community Behavioral Health Collaborative through the School of Public Health, brings free, bilingual health services directly into the community. This initiative also helps prepare the next generation of nurse practitioners and clinical mental health professionals to serve Nevada’s most vulnerable populations.

Resilient Nevada Initiative

Three members of the StreetReach team outside

StreetReach strengthens care for unsheltered communities

The StreetReach collaboration, supported by a FOCUS award from Gilead Sciences, brings together the Orvis School of Nursing and the Larson Institute at the School of Public Health to deliver nurse-led wound care and blood-borne virus, along with connections to ongoing health and social services. The initiative provides low-barrier care for people experiencing homelessness.

StreetReach

Mobile Health in Action expands healthcare outreach

A new partnership between the University of Nevada, Reno and Washoe County is expanding access to care through a mobile outreach unit supporting nurse-led services, including the StreetReach initiative. As part of the agreement, Washoe County has transferred a mobile health vehicle to the University. The Washoe County Commission also has awarded nearly $500K in Washoe Opioid Abatement and Recovery Funds (WOARF) to expand the StreetReach Initiative’s mobile unit services to provide low-barrier, integrated health care for unhoused people in Washoe County.

KOLO 8 News Now interview

Impact

400 400 new partnerships in the last year, supporting student learning and care delivery.

40+ 40+ students placed with new partner organizations, expanding and strengthening training opportunities while aligning with workforce needs.

Nursing student, proctor and patient in a hospital room.

$2M $2 Million in active awards and grants advancing community impact and health outcomes.