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Nurse practitioner self-confidence and attitudes regarding managed care.
1Family Nurse Practitioner Concentration, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA. efhayes@nursing.umass.edu
Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
|December 23, 2003
Summary
Nurse practitioners (NPs) reported moderate confidence and negative attitudes towards managed care, citing frustrations with insurance constraints. Further education and supportive practice environments are recommended to improve NP experiences.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Management
- Nursing Practice
- Health Policy
Background:
- Managed care significantly impacts healthcare delivery and provider roles.
- Understanding nurse practitioner (NP) perspectives is crucial for effective healthcare system integration.
- Previous research has explored NP roles but less on their specific attitudes and confidence in managed care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between nurse practitioner (NP) self-confidence in managed care tasks and their overall attitudes toward managed care.
- To identify specific challenges and facilitators influencing NP engagement with managed care.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to a random sample of NPs from the Massachusetts Coalition of Nurse Practitioners.
- Participants completed a demographic survey and questionnaires assessing self-confidence and attitudes towards managed care.
- NPs also provided qualitative data through written descriptions of their managed care experiences.
Main Results:
- NPs demonstrated only moderate self-confidence in performing managed care tasks.
- A predominantly negative attitude toward managed care was reported by the participating NPs.
- Key areas of frustration included prescriptive coverage, referral processes, and ethical dilemmas related to insurance.
Conclusions:
- NPs face significant challenges within managed care systems, impacting their confidence and attitudes.
- Addressing issues of insurance limitations, provider-patient trust, and ethical considerations is essential.
- Enhanced continuing education, improved NP student training, and supportive organizational cultures are recommended to optimize NP roles in managed care.