Preparation of Family Nurse Practitioners at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences for Their Role in Humanitarian Assistance Operations
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the preparation of family nurse practitioners (FNPs) in the Graduate School of Nursing at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) to provide health care in the humanitarian assistance setting. Three recent humanitarian assistance operations were analyzed to determine the types of illnesses/conditions that have been typically treated by military medical providers. Based on these data, a tool was developed to allow all 53 FNP Master's Degree graduates from USUHS to evaluate the preparation they received at USUHS to provide the specific care required in humanitarian assistance operations. Based on Sister Callista Roy's Adaptation Theory, this study focused on the FNP's ability to adapt to circumstances that may be very different from their normal practice. Content validity was established by three USUHS FNP faculty members' review of the tool, and reliability of the tool was determined by the test-retest method, with Class of 2000 FNP students completing the questionnaire twice, two weeks apart. Following the Institutional Review Board approval from USUHS, the tool was sent to the 53 subjects via electronic mail or postal service. The data collected were entered into and analyzed by the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) -9 software. Thirty-four graduates (64%) responded, and 31(91% of the respondents) stated they feel prepared to be deployed in the role of FNP in humanitarian assistance operations. Many had suggestions for enhancing the program to better equip them for that role.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 11, 2001
- Accession Number
- ADA392164
Entities
People
- Susan J. Lee
Organizations
- Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences