title: Using focus groups to identify characteristics of an ideal work environment for Advanced Practice Clinicians.
abstract: Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) in collaborative practice represent a diverse and valuable group of health care professionals, including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse anesthetists, and nurse midwives. Because these healthcare professionals have been identified as part of the solution to physician shortages, it is critical for health networks to examine and address issues affecting collaborative relationships. We invited our network APCs to participate in focus group sessions to determine both attributes and barriers to an ideal work environment. Four major themes emerged: (1) compensation, (2) network representation, (3) employment structure, and (4) workplace culture. While issues relating to compensation and representation were prevalent, discussions also revealed the importance of relationships and communication. To ensure successful collaboration and, thereby, reduce clinician turnover, leaders must address gaps between the existing and ideal states in structural factors affecting job satisfaction (Themes 1-3) as well as the behavioral factors represented in workplace culture (Theme 4).
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Lehigh Valley Health Network, 1628 W. Chew Street, Allentown, PA 18102, USA. Electronic address: robert_j.motley@lvhn.org.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Motley
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mazzaccaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Burmeister
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Samuel D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Land
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Boulay
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Heiwon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral and Community Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Deitrick
authors.affiliation: Center for Advanced Health Care, Division of Cardiology, Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sumner
mesh_terms: D000488:Allied Health Personnel / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006280:Health Workforce / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010348:Patient Care Team; D014481:United States; D017132:Workplace / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Allied health professionals; Focus groups; Job satisfaction; Work environment; Workforce