Beyond competence and retention: Developing a comprehensive evaluation framework for a rural primary care nurse...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Health Services Research
• Rural Health

Background:

• Nurse practitioner (NP) residency programs require robust evaluation beyond resident retention and competency.
• Ensuring NP residency program sustainability and resident satisfaction is crucial for preparing NPs for rural practice.
• Existing evaluations often lack a holistic approach to program improvement and long-term impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement a comprehensive evaluation framework for a family nurse practitioner (FNP) residency program.
• To enhance the preparation of NPs for rural practice settings.
• To ensure the sustainability and continuous quality improvement of NP residency programs.

Main Methods:

• A rapid continuous quality improvement (QI) approach was utilized for holistic program evaluation.
• The framework integrated resident assessment and program evaluation from resident, peer coach, and clinical site perspectives.
• Collaborative engagement involved an external evaluation team, program leadership, and clinical site representatives.

Main Results:

• The data-driven evaluation successfully met Health Resources and Services Administration goals by increasing rural primary care providers.
• The rapid QI approach enabled swift responses to challenges and program enhancements based on resident feedback.
• The framework demonstrated efficacy in assessing, improving, and ensuring the sustainability of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) residency programs.

Conclusions:

• The developed evaluation framework is effective in assessing and improving NP residency programs for rural practice.
• This approach promotes the sustainability and long-term impact of NP residency programs.
• Adoption of similar evaluation strategies is recommended for future residency programs to enhance rural healthcare.