Creating and Implementing Structured Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Education Sessions

Abstract

Problem Statement. New-to-practice nurse practitioners need support for role transition into their new career field. Purpose. This project supported a Hawaii-based medical center's fellowships for advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) that sought to increase learning, resiliency, feelings of social support, and well-being. The Hawaii-based medical center addressed imposter syndrome, time management, interprofessional team collaboration, and professional isolation of new-to-practice APRNs through education sessions designed to increase self-efficacy and feelings of professional support. Methods. A pilot group of three participated in the training at the end of their APRN Fellowship, and an intervention group of four participated earlier in their APRN Fellowship. Qualitative and quantitative data from pre- and post-surveys on self-efficacy and self-esteem and end-of-course surveys from the education sessions were analyzed for both groups. Quantitative survey scores were compiled into mean group scores, and the results of open-ended questions were reported separately. A five percent or greater increase in self-efficacy or self-esteem post-survey mean scores support a decision to adopt these evidence-based education session topics into practice and include them in the curriculum of the APRN Fellowships at the Hawaii-based medical center. Results. The general self-efficacy post-survey mean scores increased by seven percent, and the nurse practitioner self-efficacy post-survey mean scores increased by over 37 percent in the two groups. The self-esteem post-survey mean scores increased by seven percent for the intervention group, and mean scores decreased by five percent for the pilot group. Overall the four education sessions received positive end-of-course survey scores from both groups. Discussion. The greater than five percent post-survey mean score increase in the general and nurse practitioner self-efficacy surveys and the intervention group's self-esteem survey support adding the four education sessions to the curriculum.