Nurse Practitioner Student Competency Attainment and Direct Care Clinical Hours: A Pilot Study
Abstract
Background:
The number of direct care clinical hours (DCCH) required in nurse practitioner education lacks empirical evidence.
Purpose:
This pilot study established preliminary empirical research examining the DCCH needed to attain the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Level 2, Domain 2: Person-Centered Care national competencies.
Methods:
This quantitative study used the Nurse Practitioner Student Competency Assessment instrument to measure Domain 2 subcompetency attainment. Student and university factors were also analyzed.
Results:
Intraclass correlation coefficients suggest university variability may contribute up to 30%. Pilot findings suggested that DCCH, completing the 3Ps (advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment) before clinical placements, and number of clinical sites were positively associated, while higher student-to-faculty ratios were negatively associated with competency attainment.
Conclusion:
Addressing measurement implementation and university variability are critical areas of development for the proposed national study. A rater-calibrated study is needed to estimate the relative contribution of DCCH to competency attainment.
Department
Nursing
Publication Date
10-1-2026
Publication Title
Nurse Educator
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Recommended Citation
Ainslie, M., Barnes, J., Cowin, M., Tillman, J. D., Melendez, C. R., Wright, H. H., & Bigley, M. B. (2026). Nurse Practitioner Student Competency Attainment and Direct Care Clinical Hours: A Pilot StudyNurse Educator https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000002343
Rights
© 2026 Wolters Kluwer Health, LLC. All rights reserved.