From Student to Practitioner: Factors Influencing the Successful Transition and Retention of Novice Nurse Practitioners in Primary Care

The purpose of this descriptive correlation design, cross-sectional study is to describe the individual characteristics, role development and job satisfaction of novice nurse practitioners (NPs), and identify the factors associated with their successful transition and retention in the first year of primary care practice.  A theory-guided model drawn from Herzberg’s (1966) Dual-Factor Theory of Job Satisfaction, Brown & Olshansky’s (1997) Limbo to Legitimacy theoretical framework, and prior relevant research will guide this study.   A multi-instrument web-based questionnaire will be sent electronically to 250 primary care NPs who have graduated from an accredited NP program within the previous 12 months.  Measures included in the questionnaire will be a researcher-developed demographic and background survey, along with six previously established Likert-type scales that will identify factors related to individual characteristics, role development and job satisfaction among novice NPs that influence retention.  Four open-ended questions will also be included at the end of the questionnaire to assess aspects of the workforce transition not otherwise captured.  Findings of this study may identify modifiable factors to guide the development of NP educational and residency programs.  The results may also provide insight to employers, NPs and their colleagues that may improve the novice NP transition to practice, thereby increasing their retention in the primary care setting.  This has implications for overall patient care, as continuity of care has been associated with better patient outcomes, especially in high-risk populations.