Implementation of the acute care nurse practitioner role

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Advanced Practice Nursing

Background:

• Transitioning into an acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) role presents unique challenges.
• Understanding the initial experiences of newly graduated nurse practitioners is crucial for supporting their professional development.
• The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center provides a specific setting for observing these early career experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the experiences of two new acute care nurse practitioners during their role initiation.
• To outline the responsibilities assumed by these nurse practitioners in an acute care setting.
• To provide insights into the early professional journey of advanced practice nurses.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative description of the experiences of two newly employed acute care nurse practitioners.
• Focus on the initial phase of role integration and assumption of responsibilities.
• Setting: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Main Results:

• New acute care nurse practitioners faced specific challenges during role initiation.
• Key responsibilities were identified as crucial for successful integration into the acute care team.
• The experiences highlight the learning curve and adaptation process for advanced practice nurses.

Conclusions:

• The initial phase of an acute care nurse practitioner role requires significant adaptation and support.
• Understanding these early experiences can inform orientation programs and mentorship for new nurse practitioners.
• Successful role initiation is vital for retaining advanced practice nurses in acute care settings.