Brand M Colleen, Cesario Sandra K, Symes Lene, Montgomery Diane
Texas Children's Hospital, Houston (Dr Brand); and College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University, Houston (Drs Cesario, Symes, and Montgomery).
Adv Neonatal Care. 2016 Apr;16(2):E3-11. doi: 10.1097/ANC.0000000000000256.
Neonatal nurse practitioners (NNPs) play an important role in caring for premature and ill infants. Currently, there is a shortage of NNPs to fill open positions. Understanding how nurses decide to become NNPs will help practicing nurse practitioners, managers, and faculty encourage and support nurses in considering the NNP role as a career choice.
To describe how nurses decide to enter graduate school to become nurse practitioners.
A qualitative study using semistructured interviews to explore how 11 neonatal intensive care unit nurses decided to enter graduate school to become NNPs.
Key elements of specialization, discovery, career decision, and readiness were identified. Conditions leading to choosing the NNP role include working in a neonatal intensive care unit and deciding to stay in the neonatal area, discovering the NNP role, deciding to become an NNP, and readiness to enter graduate school. Important aspects of readiness are developing professional self-confidence and managing home, work, and financial obligations and selecting the NNP program.
Neonatal nurse practitioners are both positive role models and mentors to nurses considering the role. Unit managers are obligated to provide nurses with opportunities to obtain leadership skills. Faculty of NNP programs must be aware of the impact NNP students and graduates have on choices of career and schools.
Exploring the decision to become an NNP in more geographically diverse populations will enhance understanding how neonatal intensive care unit nurses decide to become NNPs.
新生儿执业护士在护理早产儿和患病婴儿方面发挥着重要作用。目前，新生儿执业护士岗位空缺，人才短缺。了解护士如何决定成为新生儿执业护士，将有助于在职的执业护士、管理人员和教员鼓励并支持护士将新生儿执业护士作为一种职业选择。
描述护士如何决定进入研究生阶段学习以成为执业护士。
采用定性研究方法，通过半结构化访谈来探究11名新生儿重症监护病房护士是如何决定进入研究生阶段学习以成为新生儿执业护士的。
确定了专业化、发现、职业决策和准备就绪等关键要素。导致选择新生儿执业护士角色的条件包括在新生儿重症监护病房工作并决定留在新生儿领域、发现新生儿执业护士角色、决定成为新生儿执业护士以及准备好进入研究生阶段学习。准备就绪的重要方面包括培养职业自信、管理家庭、工作和财务责任以及选择新生儿执业护士项目。
新生儿执业护士对于考虑该角色的护士来说既是积极的榜样，也是导师。科室经理有责任为护士提供获得领导技能的机会。新生儿执业护士项目的教员必须意识到新生儿执业护士学生和毕业生对职业和学校选择的影响。
在更多地理区域多样化的人群中探索成为新生儿执业护士的决定，将增进对新生儿重症监护病房护士如何决定成为新生儿执业护士的理解。
