Nursing science fellowship at Boston Children's Hospital

Clinical inquiry is vital to safeguard nursing practice and ensure optimal outcomes for our patients and families. The innovative Nursing Science Fellowship (NSF) was developed to provide structured mentorship for pediatric nurses by nurse scientists to design and conduct clinical inquiry generated from their practice.

Each fellow is paired with a nurse scientist mentor to receive support for timely project completion. Dedicated mentors guide the immersion of fellows in nursing science by providing them with didactic content detailing the process of clinical inquiry and bi-monthly one-on-one mentorship sessions. Throughout their journey, fellows learn the appropriate method by which to address their clinical inquiry question and complete a scholarly project that contributes to the science of nursing. On a quarterly basis, fellows share their progress and achievements with peers, mentors, and senior leadership.

Since 2011, 84 fellows have enrolled in this two-year program. Sixty-two nurses have graduated from the NSF and 22 fellows are currently active. Collectively, the fellows have received 46 grants to support their projects. Twenty-one fellows have received promotions and 22 fellows have furthered their education in a masters, clinical or research doctorate program. There have been 78 external disseminations highlighting their clinical inquiry work, including poster and podium presentations and peer-reviewed published manuscripts. Lastly, there have been 26 new or updated clinical practices implemented across the enterprise as a result of completed projects.

Combined these efforts have ensured a sustained commitment to advancing the science and practice of pediatric nursing.