Informing innovative models of nurse practitioner education: A formative qualitative study

Abstract

Despite major changes in health care, the one- to- one model of nurse practitioner (NP) clinical education programs has changed little in 50 years contributing to a lack of preceptors for NP education programs.  More efficient models to educate NPs and are needed to ensure a sustainable primary care NP workforce.  The purpose of this formative evaluation study was to assess barriers and facilitators to precepting NP students and adopting new models of NP education in clinical academic partnerships.  Eight participants provided rich data from which to better understand the barriers and facilitators to precepting multiple NP students.   Two major themes emerged; the student-academic-practice partnership and the health care system.  Systems factors pertain to those not modifiable by NP programs such as time available, scheduling and space.   Implications for development of a NP attending clinical model and academic curricula models are discussed.