| Description |
The transition of Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs), including Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and Physician Assistants (PAs), into new practice settings poses significant challenges, impacting both the clinicians' well-being and patient care outcomes. Despite the growing role of APCs in healthcare onboarding programs often have large training gaps contributing to burnout and undue financial burden to organizations. It is critical that onboarding processes address the specific transitional needs of novice APCs. Local Problem: Novice APCs within a large academic healthcare organization in the Mountain West region often face challenges such as anxiety, burnout, and role ambiguity during their transition, leading to poor clinical outcomes, job dissatisfaction, and costly turnover. The lack of structured onboarding exacerbates these issues, impacting patient care quality and organizational stability. Furthermore, inadequate support for APCs may increase healthcare costs, compromise patient safety, and decrease clinician morale. Addressing these challenges requires targeted and structured onboarding programs that recognize the unique needs of APCs and provide comprehensive support throughout their transition into clinical practice. It is vital to address these issues to maintain high-quality care within organizations. Methods: Utilizing the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, a program evaluation was conducted to assess existing onboarding programs for APCs within a large academic healthcare organization in the Mountain West region. Stakeholder interviews, literature review, and a modified Novice Nurse Practitioner Role Transition (NNPRT) survey were employed to evaluate onboarding and identify areas for improvement. Stakeholders were frequently consulted to gain their insight and feedback on the project. Interventions: Stakeholder feedback and recent literature were synthesized to identify areas for improving APC onboarding, including organizational alignment, mentorship, sense of purpose, compensation, perceived competence, and self-confidence. Results: Findings from the modified NNPRT survey and stakeholder interviews highlighted several key areas for improvement in APC onboarding. While satisfaction levels varied, suggestions for enhancing the process included extended shadowing periods, structured training schedules, and clear expectations. Results suggest participants had a large variety of backgrounds and experiences, informing the need for tailored support strategies. Stakeholder interviews emphasized the importance of supportive cultures, effective leadership, and comprehensive documentation in optimizing APC performance and enhancing patient care. These results underscore the importance of evidence-based onboarding practices in supporting APCs' successful transition into clinical practice. Additionally, interview discussions revealed insights into the financial considerations, turnover rates, and recruitment strategies impacting APC management and organizational sustainability. Conclusion: Addressing the unique transitional needs of APCs through structured onboarding programs is crucial for improving patient care outcomes, reducing turnover, and ensuring organizational stability. By aligning onboarding practices with evidence-based strategies, healthcare organizations can better support APCs navigating their professional roles and contributing to high-quality healthcare delivery. |
