Theses Doctoral

Transition to Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (NP) Private Practice: Facilitators of NP Turnover Post ACA and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Trexler, Jamie Elizabeth

Psychiatric nurse practitioner (NP) turnover is a significant cost to healthcare employers. Psychiatric NP turnover due to private practice creation is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to better understand the transition of Psychiatric NPs as they moved from ambulatory/outpatient employment to private practice.

Using a hybrid Grounded Theory approach, 17 Psychiatric NPs in private practice were interviewed from October - December 2023. Facilitating factors to private practice creation were: The COVID-19 pandemic, changes to telehealth regulation during the pandemic, increased demand for psychiatric services and decreased supply of providers, and progress within the NP full practice authority movement.

While employed, NPs reported experiencing burnout, high patient load, poor schedule, poor compensation, increased administrative tasks not budgeted within the NP workday, and rampant disrespect of the NP role. NPs reported being managed by inappropriate supervisors from other disciplines, and reported little opportunity for growth. Most participants voiced an initial reluctance to enter private practice, and reported being “pushed” to entrepreneurship out of concern for their long term wellbeing. These factors combined contributed to poor NP job satisfaction and NP turnover. Strategies to improve the job satisfaction of employed psychiatric NPs were recommended.

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More About This Work

Academic Units
Organization and Leadership
Thesis Advisors
Van Rossum, Zackary Johannes
Degree
Ed.D., Teachers College, Columbia University
Published Here
October 23, 2024