An Inpatient Pilot Rotation for a Family Nurse Practitioner Program

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are increasingly called upon to serve in diverse clinical roles, including inpatient settings, particularly within military operations. The Graduate School of Nursing at Uniformed Services University developed and piloted essential clinical competencies for an inpatient clinical rotation for Doctor of Nursing Practice FNP students.

The pilot involved FNP students from Air Force and Navy facilities in 2-week rotations alongside medical students and residents. Competency development was guided by the RIME (reporter, interpreter, manager, educator) framework.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, reflecting increased confidence in clinical skills and deeper understanding of in-patient processes. Recommendations included a minimum rotation time of 2 weeks to achieve competency goals. Additionally, this pilot led to implementation of an inpatient rotation being codified into curriculum.

This initiative underscores the importance of inpatient experience in enhancing readiness of military FNPs for diverse health care roles.