Nurse Practitioners\u27 Experiences with Role Transition: Supporting the Learning Curve Through Preceptorship

The nurse practitioner (NP) role transition is difficult and ill-supported before and after graduation. Although preceptorships are essential in supporting a NP\u27s role transition, there is a paucity of data on student and novice NPs\u27 experiences with their role transition and how it is supported through preceptorships. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand and describe the meaning of NPs\u27 role transition experiences while in a preceptorship before and after graduation. Schlossberg\u27s transition theory and the cognitive apprenticeship models were used to guide the exploration of concepts of role transition and preceptorship. One face-to-face, 3 Skype, and 12 phone interviews were conducted with NPs who were currently practicing in the NP role (\u3e3 months but \u3c5 years) in those states that require collaborative practice agreement. Transcribed interviews were coded using Van Manen\u27s analysis strategies. Findings suggested that NPs\u27 difficult transition to practice was related to their preceptorship support in NP school and in NP work settings. The data showed ill-supported preceptorships when in NP programs. Lack of preceptorships after the graduation was accompanied by employers\u27 expecting novice NPs to function at an expert level, frequently with minimal guidance. Understanding how NPs transition to practice and how their role transition is supported through preceptorships can be used to inform NP educators and organizations that hire NPs of the changes needed to strengthen NPs\u27 role transition. These findings may promote positive social change by guiding stakeholders to improve the NP role transition, which could, in turn, increase NPs\u27 autonomy, retention, and job satisfaction