1. Student Nurse Practitioner Perceptions of Participating in the Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration Project
Dr. Robert Hanks, GNE Project Manager
Ms. Cheryl Loudd, GNE Clinical Coordinator
UT Houston School of Nursing

2. Introduction
The Graduate Nursing Education Demonstration (GNE) is a federally-funded 4 year demonstration project
Directed at increasing the number of primary care nurse practitioners in concert with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act
Oversight provided by Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS)
Five demonstration sites across the United States are currently funded.
Gulf Coast Region includes a partnership between:
Memorial Herman Hospital System
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Nursing (UT Houston)
University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing
Texas Women’s University-Houston School of Nursing
Prairie View A&M School of Nursing
NP students are placed in clinical agencies that have agreed to precept the students, and the clinical agencies receive funding based on preceptorship hours

3. Background
GNE Program funded in 2012: currently no published literature about the perceptions of student participants
Similar federal program for comparison is the Graduate Medical Education (GME) program used in medical education
GME is in contrast to the GNE in which the students are currently enrolled in the NP program (pre-graduation). Medical residents are post-graduates.
Review of the literature surrounding NP education reveals a paucity of knowledge regarding graduate level NP student’s satisfaction with clinical agencies, clinical rotations, or preceptors
Research study will help illuminate the student perceptions of clinical rotations and the overall perception regarding the innovative GNE program

4. Study Aim and Research Questions
To explore the student nurse practitioner perceptions regarding participation in the Graduate Nurse Education (GNE) Demonstration Project
What are the students’ perceptions of participation in the GNE?
What are the students’ perceptions of the benefit of the GNE?
What are the students’ perceptions of the negative aspects of participation in the GNE?

5. Design
Exploratory descriptive research design to ascertain the students’ perceptions of the GNE encountered during clinical courses in the curriculum
Post experience survey using a 17 item scale (5 level: strongly disagree-strongly agree with neutral category)
2 narrative questions relating to positive impact and negative impact
1 open ended narrative question
1 narrative question about the impact of the GNE on the profession

6. Analysis
Quantitative survey results uploaded into the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for descriptive statistical analysis
Narrative data analyzed using a qualitative content analysis design

7. Results: Sample 56 Participants responded—49% response rate
All participants in last semester of program
87.5 Female
Large portion in FNP

8. Survey Item Statistics
Statement
Mean
S.D.
I clearly understood that I was a participant in the GNE project
4.05
1.166
I understood the clinical placement process used for the GNE project
3.34
1.392
I felt that the GNE project facilitated my clinical placements
3.22
1.343
I felt that clinical agencies accepted my clinical placement due to the GNE payments for precepting me
3.69
1.184
I felt my clinical agencies understood the GNE project
2.91
1.210
My preceptors understood the GNE project
2.76
1.228
The GNE project is helping to grow the numbers of NPs in this area
3.78
.875
There were questions from my preceptors about the GNE payments
2.80
1.432
I understood why I completed a student profile for the GNE
3.23
1.427
I felt treated fairly by the GNE placement process
3.71
1.107
My clinical education was enhanced due to the GNE
3.18
1.266
My clinical placements with GNE were timely
3.21
1.411
My GNE clinical placements were appropriate to my learning needs
3.58
1.243
My GNE clinical placements were straightforward and clear to me
3.48
1.279
I felt Memorial Hermann had my best interest in mind with my GNE placements
3.29
1.031
I felt Gateway to Care had my best interest in mind with my GNE placements
.896
I understood the overall goal of the GNE project
3.68
1.193
Results-Scale Items

9. Results: Positive Impact on Clinical Education
41 Responses
Positive
Good Incentive and Opened Doors
Preceptors Receptive and Accepting
Less Stress and Saved Time
Negative
Self-Place/GNE Not a Help

10. Results: Negative Impact on Clinical Education
30 Responses
No Effect
Confusing and Last Minute
Site Not Convenient or Appropriate
Clinics Taking Students for Money

11. Results: GNE Impact on NP Community in the Future?
40 Responses
Affirmative/Negative Themes
Is Positive or Will be Positive (23 responses)
Not Positive or Uncertain (4 responses)
Other themes:
More Information and Streamlining Needed (2 responses)

12. Results: Other Comments
27 Responses
Not a Help
Need Preceptors Not Focused on GNE Money
Need Preceptors That Can Teach
Research GNE Participating Sites Thoroughly

13. Conclusions Provides for baseline data with GNE project
Illuminates NP student perceptions
Item means neutral or agree
Narrative themes indicate that GNE was seen as positive, but confusion with process. GNE seen as a positive impact on NP community
Subsequent surveys will be performed for each graduating class (2014, 2015, 2016)