Use of Long-Term Care Facilities for Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Students

Family and adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner (NP) students must obtain patient clinical hours caring for older adults. Primary care occurs in a variety of settings, including long-term care (LTC) facilities. Anecdotal reports indicate that faculty in some primary NP academic programs do not recognize the robust primary care opportunities that exist in LTC settings.

This article describes a professional nursing organization's process of researching the appropriateness of designating LTC clinical hours as allowable primary care clinical experiences for NP students.

The NP serves as an integral member of the LTC team, providing the same elements of primary care provided in traditional ambulatory care settings.

Older adults receiving primary care in LTC settings have a variety of health care needs, including assessment and management of acute and chronic conditions. A position statement was developed for primary care NP students and endorsed by 22 professional organizations and NP programs. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(2):99-102.].