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Nurse Practitioner Student Competency Attainment and Direct Care Clinical Hours: A Pilot Study
Marcy Ainslie1, Joshua Barnes, Megan Cowin
1Author Affiliations: School of Nursing, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire (Dr Ainsile); College of Nursing, East Carolina University, Health Sciences Building, Greenville, North Carolina (Drs Barnes, Cowin, Tillman, Melendez); College of Allied Health Sciences & College of Nursing, East Carolina University, Health Sciences Building, Greenville, North Carolina (Dr Wright); National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, Washington, DC (Dr Bigley).
Background:
The number of direct care clinical hours (DCCH) required in nurse practitioner education lacks empirical evidence.
Purpose:
This pilot study established preliminary empirical research examining the DCCH needed to attain the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Level 2, Domain 2: Person-Centered Care national competencies.
Methods:
This quantitative study used the Nurse Practitioner Student Competency Assessment instrument to measure Domain 2 subcompetency attainment. Student and university factors were also analyzed.
Results:
Intraclass correlation coefficients suggest university variability may contribute up to 30%. Pilot findings suggested that DCCH, completing the 3Ps (advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment) before clinical placements, and number of clinical sites were positively associated, while higher student-to-faculty ratios were negatively associated with competency attainment.
Conclusion:
Addressing measurement implementation and university variability are critical areas of development for the proposed national study. A rater-calibrated study is needed to estimate the relative contribution of DCCH to competency attainment.
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