25+ and going strong: nurse practitioners and nursing practice

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Healthcare Professional Development

Background:

• Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in healthcare delivery.
• Understanding factors influencing NP confidence is vital for effective practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between nurse practitioners' role attitudes and values and their confidence in practice knowledge and skills.

Main Methods:

• A stratified random sample of 482 certified nurse practitioners was surveyed.
• Data were analyzed to identify relationships between role orientation and confidence levels.

Main Results:

• A significant relationship was found between nurse practitioners' role orientation and their confidence.
• NPs reported higher confidence in direct clinical skills compared to indirect components like research utilization and practice evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Role orientation is linked to nurse practitioner confidence in their practice.
• Further support and education may be needed for NPs in indirect practice domains.