“I didn’t know how bad it was:” Nurse practitioner publishes report on the dismal state of NP education and need for change (Part 1)

Rebekah Bernard MD and Niran Al-Agba MD | 2/19/2024

John Canion is an experienced nurse practitioner working within nursing for years to improve NP education. Frustrated with the lack of positive change from NP leadership, he penned the “2023 Report on Nurse Practitioner Education and the Need for Change,” which outlines the current state of NP education and proposes solutions that harken back to the original days of NP training.

Canion suggests:
– At least 2 years of RN experience before starting NP school
– Increased standards for entry, including minimum GPA requirements
– Standardized, rigorous education and program-vetted preceptorship
– An increase to 2,000 hours of base NP training and an additional 4,000 hours of training within a specialty (Family, Psych, ER, etc).

He writes, “We need a pause on independent practice or ‘full practice authority’ for NPs until our education has been fully reviewed.”

Read the entire report here:
https://jcthenp.substack.com/p/2023-report-on-np-education-and-the