The Nurse Practitioner Role: A pilot study based on the Interview Schedule from the AUSPRAC Research Toolkit

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Professions
• Nursing Practice
• Professional Development

Background:

• Knowledge development is crucial for professional practice and service delivery.
• Understanding the specific roles within a practice context is essential.
• Nurse practitioner roles are evolving within healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present findings from case study research on the nurse practitioner role.
• To propose an additional theme for the AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule.
• To enhance the exploration of professional elements within the nurse practitioner role.

Main Methods:

• Case study methodology was employed.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted using the AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule.
• Data analysis involved free coding and theme generation.

Main Results:

• The AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule provided insights into the nurse practitioner role.
• Identified themes included organization of care, team functioning, and patient service.
• Information regarding ongoing professional development was not elicited by the existing themes.

Conclusions:

• The current AUSPRAC Research Toolkit Interview Schedule adequately explores some aspects of the nurse practitioner role.
• A gap exists in exploring the professional development and evolving elements of the role.
• Recommends adding a fourth theme to the Interview Schedule to address this gap.