Have you thought about next steps following your nurse practitioner school graduation this winter? Or, maybe you finished your NP program this spring and are still trying to figure out what your first move as a newly minted nurse practitioner will be? If you’ve already graduated, or are graduating from a nurse practitioner program this winter, NP residencies are a great way to build a clinical foundation for the rest of your career.
Here at ThriveAP, we’ve launched a residency-like learning adventure to help provide new nurse practitioners with the support they need. ThriveAP+ allows you to transition from education to practice with purpose. With the application deadline for ThriveAP+ rapidly approaching (December 1st for the April 2017 program!), so we wanted to share some ThriveAP+ F.A.Q.
What exactly is ThriveAP+, you ask?
The philosophy behind nurse practitioner’s participation in ThriveAP+ is similar to that of teachers participating in the Teach for America program. You use your developing talents as a nurse practitioner to serve in an area of medical need. ThriveAP+ sites are supportive clinics and hospitals where new NPs get the assistance they need to be successful.
Throughout your program you will grow your clinical skill set while providing much needed medical care to underserved communities. This experience will serve you well when you go to find a more long-term position after you complete the program.
Where will ThriveAP+ participants be matched?
Participants will be matched with healthcare facilities across the country that reach medically underserved communities and populations. These might be clinics or hospitals and may be located in urban, suburban, or rural areas.
The placement of ThriveAP+ providers in such facilities benefits patients, you as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant, and our healthcare community as a whole.
Most sites allow NPs and PAs the opportunity to apply for federal student loan repayment programs through the NHSC. Additionally, clinics and hospitals located in medically underserved areas offer the opportunity to continue learning in a supportive, community environment.
Do I get to choose where I am matched?
Throughout the ThriveAP+ application and matching process you will be given a chance to share your preferences regarding practice specialty, setting, and location. We will provide as much information as we can about available practice sites to help you select from the sites to which you are accepted. In selecting your placement options we will do our best to place you in one of your most preferred regions and settings as long as your qualifications meet the requirements.
While your preferences are an important factor in our decisions, we may not be able to place you in your most preferred spots (we try our best!). Our top priorities are professional development on part of the NP or PA and serving communities in medical need. Your site is chosen so that your efforts can have the greatest impact (here’s a look inside ThriveAP+ life).
Will I receive training and support outside of the site where I am matched?
The ThriveAP+ experience begins with a multi-day kickoff in Nashville, Tennessee — home of the Country Music Hall of Fame, Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and, of course, ThriveAP headquarters. At the Nashville kickoff, you will orient to the program, review expectations of your time in the program, get to know fellow participants, begin clinical training, and perhaps even visit a honky tonk.
Throughout your experience, you will also attend weekly virtual meet ups devoted to expanding your clinical skills and knowledge, professional development, and interacting with fellow ThriveAP+ participants. Your practice site hosts participants with the expectation that continued learning opportunities and support are required to help the new nurse practitioner reach his or her full potential.
How long is the ThriveAP+ experience?
Participants are required to give a 12-month commitment to the program. Participants may also wish to accept a full-time position with the facility where they are placed following the experience should an opportunity be available.
How much will I be paid during the program?
See the Compensation and Benefits section of the ThriveAP+ Overview Packet. Click here to have the packet delivered to your inbox.
What happens after ThriveAP+?
Graduates of programs like this often find that they have more opportunities after having completed the program than they had before doing so. Emerging as more experienced service leaders, NPs and PAs may go on to continue practicing in medically underserved areas or use their experience as a launching point for their advanced practice career. In whatever capacity you continue to serve as an NP or PA, your ThriveAP+ experience provides a unique and impactful foundation.
Interested in applying to ThriveAP+? Check out the application, or download an ThriveAP+ Overview packet by clicking below.
Don’t forget – applications for NPs who wish to start the program in April, 2017 are due by December 1st, 2016!