title: Factors Related to Successful Transition to Practice for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners.
abstract: The transition from student to acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP) has been recognized as a time of stress. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational-comparative design pilot study was to examine: (1) the relationships among personal resources, community resources, successful transition, and job retention; (2) the difference between ACNPs with 0 to 4 years and ACNPs with more than 4 years of prior experience as a registered nurse in an intensive care unit or emergency department; and (3) the skills/procedures that ACNPs found difficult to perform independently. Thirty-four participants were recruited from a social media site for nurse practitioners. Organizational support, communication, and leadership were the most important elements of successful transition into the ACNP role. This information can help ACNP faculty and hospital orientation/fellowship program educators to help ACNPs transition into their first position after graduation.
authors.affiliation: Deborah L. Dillon is Assistant Professor, University of Virginia School of Nursing, 225 Jeannette Lancaster Way, McLeod Hall, Rm 4007, Charlottesville, VA (did6z@virginia.edu). Mary A. Dolansky is Associate Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio. Kathy Casey is Manager, Clinical Education, Lutheran Medical Center, Wheat Ridge, Colorado. Carol Kelley is Assistant Professor, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
authors.forename: Deborah L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dolansky
authors.forename: Kathy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kelley
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease / Q000451:nursing*; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D064648:Critical Care Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000523:psychology*; D009820:Ohio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D055815:Young Adult