Orientation and Mentorship Transition to Practice for Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

Nurse practitioners (NPs) will perform an increasingly pivotal role in the delivery of healthcare services in the United States. Newly hired NPs require a depth of knowledge and skills to effectively transition into their new roles. While their educational curriculum prepares them to provide high-quality, cost-effective care, difficulties have been reported when transitioning to practice. When healthcare organizations anticipate and diminish these challenges, the probability of a successful transition is improved. With the increasing numbers of NPs employed to expand access to care, organizational support for NP transition is vital. Literature has identified that proper training, mentorship, and a supportive work environment can help to guide the transition process. The purpose of this project was to develop a structured orientation and mentorship process to foster nurse practitioner role transition. The orientation program incorporated Benner’s Novice to Expert framework to identify skill and knowledge progression. Three nurse practitioners participated in the orientation program. Survey questions were used to determine the nurse practitioners’ perception of their practice readiness for the SBY-VH HCS before and after program participation. Findings revealed nurse practitioners reported favorable opinions to the impact of a structured orientation toward their role transition. Thus, the importance of developing and implementing a well-designed and structured orientation is paramount to foster NP role transition.