A qualitative study of perceptions regarding the non-nurse college graduate nurse practitioner.

Nurse practitioners (NPs) have become integral players in the current healthcare system. Some schools admit students with bachelor's degrees in other fields without prior nursing experience into accelerated BS-to-graduate NP programs. The purpose of this study is to examine healthcare providers' perceptions regarding these non-nurse college graduates (NNCGs) functioning as nurse practitioners. The literature review revealed no prior qualitative investigation examining healthcare providers' perceptions of NNCGs. This study elicited a textual response to an open-ended question. Criteria for inclusion included ages 21 and older and licensure in nursing (RN) or medicine (MD or DO). Fourteen textural responses were analyzed. An adaptation of Colaizzi's method of data analysis was used to extract and describe themes. The four thematic categories that emerged from the data included: "Role Complexity," "Experience as Teacher" "System Savvy," and "On the Plus Side," The results of this study will be used in the development of an instrument to be used in a quantitative investigation.