Transitioning from clinician to nurse practitioner clinical faculty: A systematic review

Schools of nursing are challenged with recruiting and retaining nurse practitioner (NP) clinical faculty in a job market where the few qualified candidates have competing professional opportunities. The role transition from clinician to clinical faculty is stressful, and many faculty have unmet needs for support.

This article will identify strategies universities can implement to increase retention in the faculty role by facilitating the transition from clinician to NP clinical faculty.

Articles were identified from the following databases: PubMed, Embase, PsychInfo, CINAHL Plus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Library.

The transition from clinician to the NP role can be very difficult. New faculty experience culture shock and concerns about maintenance of clinical practice. Orientation, peer support, and mentoring can mitigate the challenges and support the transition.

Schools of nursing can facilitate the transition from clinician to NP clinical faculty by developing an onboarding program that integrates mentoring, orientation, and ongoing support.