Promoting Clinical Instructors’ Success in Advance Practice Nursing Programs

Advance practice nursing programs use clinical instructors (CIs) to bridge the theory-practice gap and to maintain relationships with clinical preceptors. A clear understanding and support of the CI role for advanced practice nursing is needed to promote positive program outcomes. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Evidence Level and Quality Guide were used to conduct the review. Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Findings from the review revealed several themes including role development, competency, communication, evaluation, technology, plan of study, and teaching resources. Findings were used to develop a multitouch electronic resource guide to support CI success in their role in advance practice education. The implementation of training programs to promote CI competency should be considered. Further investigation of CI competencies specific to advance practice nursing and the development of evaluation tools to assess competency are recommended.