Pioneering a primary care adult nurse practitioner interprofessional fellowship

Abstract

The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Academic Affiliations funded 5 Centers of Excellence in Primary Care Education. The West Haven site pioneered the first post-master's adult nurse practitioner (NP) interprofessional fellowship to address the gap in NP education. The experiences of the initial cohort were captured through semistructured interviews. Qualitative analysis revealed 4 common themes: (1) bridging into professional practice, (2) expanded appreciation of health professionals' roles, (3) commitment to interprofessional teamwork, and (4) the necessity of mentorship. The initial findings suggest that post-master's adult NP interprofessional fellowship programs are an essential "next step" for new NPs. © 2014.