Practice management skills for the nurse practitioner

The faculties of three schools of nursing involved in a collaborative family nurse practitioner (FNP) program designed a study to address issues involved in preparing the nurse practitioner for the challenges of practice management in the clinical environment. The purposes of the study were to (1) identify business concepts necessary to successfully manage a primary care practice; (2) determine which of these concepts should be incorporated into an FNP curriculum; and (3) clarify information to be taught regarding each identified concept. Fifty-four business concepts related to primary care were identified from a literature review. A survey was then developed to assess the extent to which the identified concepts were necessary for an FNP to effectively manage a practice. Seven experts and five FNP faculty responded to the survey. The Content Validity Index (CVI) defined by Lynn (1986) was applied and 20 concepts necessary for an FNP to effectively manage a practice were identified. A focus group that included nurse practitioners (both faculty and nonfaculty) from the three collaborative sites connected by interactive telecommunications determined that all 20 of the identified concepts should be included in an FNP curriculum. Additionally, the focus group clarified relevant information to be taught regarding each identified concept.