Strategies to promote the professional transition of new graduate nurse practitioners: A systematic review

Abstract

New graduate nurse practitioner (NP) postgraduate support programs and interventions have proliferated, sparking controversy. The Institute of Medicine/National Academy of Medicine recommends residency programs for new graduate NPs; however, the NP community debates whether new graduate NPs need additional training and whether such training compromises patient access to care. This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions and strategies to promote the professional transition of new graduate NPs. Interventions identified in the current literature included fellowship programs and a webinar. Strategies included mentorship, experiential learning, interprofessional training, and professional socialization. The studies reviewed primarily evaluated NPs' perceptions of the interventions' effects on their professional transitions. The findings from this systematic review highlight challenges in evidencing postgraduate support programs. The small number of available studies underscores a critical problem for the NP community: additional evidence is needed to inform whether and how to support new graduate NPs as they transition to practice.

Keywords: fellowship; new graduate; nurse practitioner; postgraduate education; residency; transition.