Differences in educational progression and outcomes between master's entry level in nursing (MEPN) prepared and traditionally prepared (baccalaureate) nurse practitioner graduates

Abstract

Being fairly new and deviating from the traditional pre-licensure nursing education approach, many community-based and academic health care partners raise concerns that MEPN students may not have sufficient clinical time to adequately develop their nursing skills before moving on to an advanced practice role. The purpose of this descriptive study is to compare educational progression and certification rates between traditionally prepared (i.e., Baccalaureate [BS]) and Master's Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) prepared nurse practitioner (NP) graduates. Existing University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) School of Nursing (SON) aggregate, de-identified data were used for the analysis and included the following variables: total number of leave of absences (LOAs), incomplete grades for course work, repeat courses, withdrawals from the NP Program, dismissals from the program, semesters to complete program; and cumulative graduate nursing grade point averages (GPAs), and certification rates by year of entry into the Master's of Science in Nursing NP programs. Results of the study found significant differences for the average semesters to complete Master's coursework and part-time and full-time status between MEPN and traditional NP graduates. The MEPN NP graduates were more likely to be full-time students and to complete all course work and clinical practicums earlier than their traditional counterparts. Findings suggest that there are no differences academically between MEPN and traditional NP graduates. Future studies involving other schools and populations are needed to generalize results of the study