Abstract: In the 1990's, the American Association of the Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) published guidelines for FNP education which include several areas of essential curricula. While these curricula may prepare a student to sit for their licensure exam, little research has been conducted to reveal whether FNP's believe that their education adequately prepared them to practice as a competent FNP in the healthcare field. Utilizing the internet as a setting, a convenience sample of FNPs will be invited to participate in a questionnaire to measure education adequacy in 25 areas of FNP education. These 25 areas of education are derived from the curricula set forth by the AACN and the NONPF and each will be graded on a 5-point Likert scale. Demographic information will also be collected. Demographic data will be analyzed using frequencies and percentages. Education area information will be analyzed using means and standard deviations. Chi-square analysis will be use to show any differences between the 25 areas of education and, type of degree received and, type of education received.

This study is open to any FNP that received their FNP education in the US and is currently licensed in the US through the ANCC or the AANP.

Abstract: With the recent changes in health care, nurse practitioners are becoming more in demand. Many nurses have returned to school to become nurse practitioners and to meet this demand. In the nurse practitioner role, increased responsibility and accountability exists. This may or may not result in increased job-related stress. Currently, there is a lack of recent information regarding nurse practitioners' perceptions of sources of job stress. In order to gain insight into nurse practitioners' perception of job stress, this internet web site is designed to allow nurse practitioners to journal their thoughts related to job-related stress.

Abstract: With the recent changes in the delivery of health care, discovering ways to maintain a nursing presence with patients is a continuing challenge that requires creativity and efficient use of resources. In order to provide further insight into the meaning of presence as it relates to the current era of telecommunications technology, a comparative study based on nurse, as well as patient response to a Measurement of Presence (MOP) Scale is presented. Correlational methods will be utilized to analyze questionnaire results as presented to a nurse practitioner and patient listserve population.

Abstract: As changes in health care have affected nurses' ability to deliver patient care, studies reveal that an overwhelming number of nurses are dissatisfied and that many will leave the profession. Because experts predict a nursing shortage, studies that explore components that are role-affirming could prove useful in the development of recruitment and retention strategies. The purpose of the study was to explore the nature of meaningful experiences of registered nurses that affirm the value of career choice. The project was posted on a nursing web site and participants were invited to share their experiences. The phenomenological study was guided by and analyzed following the phenomenological approach of Colaizzi. Thematic analysis revealed four themes: Experiencing an Intimate Relationship, Meeting Needs, Accomplishment, and Recognition. Experiencing an intimate relationship was the most prevalent theme. When involved in intimate relationships, participants were compelled to give more of themselves by spending more time. Being available to meet the needs of patients, family, and significant others also appeared to have a role-affirming influence. Accomplishment of goals and subsequent recognition seemed to buffer some work-related stress, as evidenced by the participants who after doing such stated that at times like this "It all seems worth it." When referring to the accomplishment of goals, most participants reported experiences that involved registered nurses succeeding in areas in which physicians were deficient. Participants felt that registered nurses were more likely to develop an intimate relationship with their patients, were better educators, and were "more likely to treat the whole person, unlike the medical approach of just treating the illness." Using the internet to collect data for this investigative project proved to be a way to access a sample of participants in various states with minimal expenditure of time and resources.

Since 1993 NPSS has been gathering information from nurse practitioners in order to better answer questions about nurse practitioner salaries. The information is reported as a composite with no identifying information kept. This information is available on the NP Central Web Site.