Exploring the Effectiveness of Multisource Feedback and Coaching with Nurse Practitioners

Abstract

Background: While multisource feedback and coaching have shown promise as effective professional development strategies for physicians, the effectiveness of these interventions with nurse practitioners - a growing profession in Canada - remains unknown. Despite this knowledge gap, multiple nursing colleges in Canada require their nurse practitioner members to participate in multisource feedback processes. Methods: An exploratory study was performed with twelve nurse practitioners using an online multisource feedback process (based on the CanMEDS Framework) and an in-person coaching session (using the R2C2 Model). Participants were surveyed immediately post intervention and two months later. Perspectives of the coaches and process coordinators were also assessed. Results: Nearly all participants reported that the intervention was valuable for their professional development, and 63% reported they changed an aspect of their practice because of participating. However, the majority of participants reported difficulty finding colleagues who could provide them with valid feedback. This was because of the independent nature of their practice. Conclusions: Multisource feedback and coaching show promise as effective professional development strategies for nurse practitioners who work in collaborative practices. Further research is needed to confirm these exploratory findings.