Nurse Practitioner Research Agenda Roundtable, October 2015

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Policy and Regulation
• Nursing Practice Models
• Nurse Practitioner Education
• Healthcare Workforce Development

Background:

• Nurse practitioners (NPs) are integral to the healthcare system.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the scope of NP contributions.
• A need exists to prioritize research to optimize NP roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report on the 2015 Nurse Practitioner Research Agenda Roundtable.
• To identify and reach consensus on critical research areas for NPs.
• To pinpoint specific gaps in current NP research.

Main Methods:

• Convened the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners for a roundtable discussion.
• Facilitated a consensus-building process on research priorities.
• Analyzed existing research to identify gaps.

Main Results:

• Achieved consensus on four primary research categories: policy and regulation, practice models, education, and workforce.
• Identified specific knowledge gaps within these categories.
• Highlighted the essential role of NPs in the healthcare environment.

Conclusions:

• The identified research areas are crucial for the advancement of NP practice.
• Addressing these research gaps will strengthen the NP's contribution to healthcare.
• Future research should focus on policy, practice, education, and workforce issues impacting NPs.