Help or hindrance: Exploring nurse practitioners' perceptions of transition to practice legislation

Fourteen states have adopted transition to practice (TP) legislation, which requires newly certified nurse practitioners (NPs) to practice under a senior clinician. States have adopted such legislation despite vast evidence indicating NPs provide safe care.

The purpose of this study is to explore NPs' perceptions of the effects of this legislation and to describe communication between NPs and senior clinicians working in TP states.

Using a cross-sectional, descriptive design, we surveyed a convenience sample of NPs working in TP states. Descriptive statistical analysis and qualitative content analysis were conducted.

Most respondents believed TP legislation posed unnecessary regulatory barriers but also believed it promoted professional development. No statistically significant relationships between professional characteristics, regulatory variations, and these perceptions were identified.

Given the increasing number of states considering TP legislation, and the vast variability in TP models, additional research into the effects of this regulation is needed.