Development of a sleep medicine clinical rotation for nurse practitioner students

SESSION TITLE: Education, Research, and Quality Improvement Posters 10 SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/11/2023 12:00 pm - 12:45 pm PURPOSE: Primary Care nurse practitioners (NPs) are one of the fastest growing populations of the healthcare workforce. While NPs are often first line providers for patients presenting with sleep issues, there is minimal sleep education and no structured clinical training in graduate nursing curricula. We have previously demonstrated that self-directed virtual case-based learning modules in sleep medicine are associated with statistically significant increases in knowledge, pre-/post-test (results are published). We hypothesized that the addition of a NP clinical specialty training elective in sleep medicine would promote further development of clinical competency in diagnosis and management of common sleep-related diseases. METHODS: An interdisciplinary team of graduate nursing faculty, sleep scientists, and sleep medicine providers developed of a four week, 12-session in-person and telemedicine clinical specialty rotation in sleep medicine for primary care track NP students to apply knowledge with supervision by sleep medicine providers, including sleep NPs. A clinical competency evaluation was designed that crosswalks ACGME Sleep Medicine Milestones (scale: 1 [novice] to 5 [expert]) and NP program Preceptor Clinical Evaluation domains (scale: 0 [not observed/NA] to 4 [exceeds expectations]). Competency evaluations are evaluated by sleep NP and sleep physician preceptors at the end of the student’s rotation. Prior to beginning the elective, all primary care track NP students are required to complete a prerequisite cased-based sleep medicine e-learning program. This asynchronous, modular course is comprised of six modules that address sleep physiology, screening for sleep disorders, insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, hypersomnolence/narcolepsy, and circadian rhythm/sleep-wake disorders. Successful completion of the modules requires demonstration of increased knowledge. RESULTS: The clinical rotation curriculum supports students’ development of foundational practice competencies in sleep medicine including screening practices, assessment, diagnostic evaluation, treatment recommendations, and basic management of sleep and sleep disorders. NP students are exposed to general sleep medicine clinic (8 half-day sessions), sleep behavioral therapy (2 half-day sessions), inpatient sleep consultation service (2 half-day sessions), and one elective session in sleep neurology, non-invasive ventilation, or sleep surgery. Preliminary evaluation/outcome data for NP sleep medicine competencies and learner/preceptor experience from the rotation will be evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Development of a clinical rotation in sleep for NPs requires interdisciplinary expertise and collaboration between faculty in the School of Nursing, School of Medicine/Sleep Division, fellowship and clinical coordinators from both nursing and medicine, and commitment from programmatic leaders. Based on principles of adult learning theory, provision of foundational sleep medicine education, supplemented by clinical training, will prepare NPs to address sleep disturbances and disorders in primary care practice. Structured sleep medicine in the graduate nursing curriculum may also increase NP interest in sleep medicine specialty practice to address the gap between demand for sleep care and available providers. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: With sleep education and training, NPs will be better prepared to address sleep disturbances and disorders in everyday primary care practice. Structured sleep medicine training in the graduate nursing curriculum may also increase NP interest in sleep medicine specialty practice to address the burgeoning demand for sleep care amid a relatively stagnant pipeline of sleep medicine providers. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Alycia Bischof No relevant relationships by Stefanie Cordoue No relevant relationships by Kathleen DeMutis No relevant relationships by Jorge Mora No relevant relationships by Susan Renz research collaborator on NIH SBIR grant relationship with Huxley Medical, Inc Please note: 12/2022 to present Added 03/31/2023 by Ilene Rosen, source=Web Response, value=iinvestigator effort Removed 03/31/2023 by Ilene Rosen, source=Web Response foundation grant recipient relationship with Jazz Parmaceuticals Please note: 7/2022 to 6/2023 Added 03/31/2023 by Ilene Rosen, source=Web Response, value=funds fellowship training research collaborator on NIH SBIR grant relationship with Huxley Medical, Inc Please note: 12/2022 to present Added 03/31/2023 by Ilene Rosen, source=Web Response, value=iinvestigator effort Advisory Committee Member relationship with Huxley Medical, Inc Please note: 2022 to present Added 03/31/2023 by Ilene Rosen, source=Web Response, value=Consulting fee No relevant relationships by Amy Sawyer Grant support relationship with ResMed Please note: $5001 - $20000 by Richard Schwab, value=Grant/Research Support Grant support relationship with Inspire Please note: $5001 - $20000 by Richard Schwab, value=Grant/Research Support Grant support relationship with CryOSA Please note: $5001 - $20000 by Richard Schwab, value=Grant/Research Support Royalties relationship with Merck Please note: $1-$1000 by Richard Schwab, value=Royalty Royalties relationship with UptoDate Please note: $1001 - $5000 by Richard Schwab, value=Royalty Consultant relationship with Signifier Please note: $5001 - $20000 by Richard Schwab, value=Consulting fee No relevant relationships by June Treston No relevant relationships by Alexa Watach