Paper
Wednesday, 19 July 2006
This presentation is part of : Nursing Education Strategies
Employment Characteristics and Role Functions of Recent FNP Graduates: Implications for Education
Patricia Jackson Allen, RN, MS, PNP, FAAN and Diane Viens, RN, DNSc, FNP. School of Nursing, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
Learning Objective #1: Identify frequency of role functions of FNPs in practice and frequency of types of clients served.
Learning Objective #2: Identify at least three implications for FNP educational programs based on survey findings.
 Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the characteristics of employment, health-illness characteristics of individuals cared for by FNPs, and frequency of role functions and procedures by practice setting and type (primary care or specialty practice).
Method: A 80-item multiple-choice survey tool was sent to over 450 graduates for 2001-2003 from ten schools. The questionnaires were analyzed for type of practice setting, age and acuity of clients served, and frequency of role functions and skills performed. 
Results: Response rate varied from 32%-90% with an overall response rate of 57%. Half of responding FNP graduates (54%) worked in primary care settings and 42% in specialty practice. Only 25% worked in rural settings. Only 12.3% of FNP graduates indicated they cared for neonates to aged clients. Clients with chronic and acute health conditions were cared for more often than well or critically ill clients in both primary care and specialty practice. The mean salary was $60-70,000 with lower salaries found in primary care and rural settings. Classic primary care role functions of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment were performed often in all practice settings but more leadership role functions, such as administering programs, instituting change, program development, participating in research or professional writing, were done significantly less frequently. Skills such as EKG interpretation, suturing, or casting were performed infrequently and significantly more by FNPs in rural practice. Less than 25% of responding graduates were active in professional organizations or had ever lobbied for health care legislation.
Discussion: This is the only multi-site surveys of FNP graduates that addresses role functions, specialty practice, and client characteristics. Education of FNPs needs to address their role in specialty practice. Education to enhance leadership activities in graduates such as administration, program development, research, involvement in professional organizations may require further education at the DNP level.

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