Date of Award
8-14-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
School Name
College of Health Professions
Department
Health Professions
Major Advisor
Dr. Megan Danzl
Second Advisor
Dr. Lyndsey Blair
Abstract
The transition from the classroom to clinical practice for novice nurse practitioners (NPs) is often overwhelming and leads to low self-efficacy. Novice NPs are not required to complete additional post-graduate training, accelerating acclimation into the provider role with little guidance. Mentoring experiences, the pairing of an expert with a novice, have been implemented throughout numerous disciplines, including nurses; however, little is known about how the experience can affect a novice NP’s self-efficacy. Using Bandura’s Theory of Self-Efficacy and Benner’s From Novice To Expert, this study seeks to explain how the mentorship experience affects the self-efficacy of novice NPs located in the South Central U.S. when transitioning to clinical practice and their perception of the mentor experience. This study was performed using a qualitative explanatory case study design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 NPs practicing in Kentucky who completed a formal mentorship as a novice. Participant responses were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. A latent level analysis allowed the researcher to connect the participants’ responses to explain the social context and explore mentoring experience. Inductive and deductive analysis revealed 11 themes that aligned with Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy (performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasion, physiological state), plus two additional sources of self-efficacy (modeling plus, mentored transition tools) that emerged from the data corpus. Trustworthiness was established through adherence to Lincoln and Guba’s framework identifying techniques to meet the standards of credibility, dependability, confirmability, and transferability. The development of the themes illustrates how participants increase self-efficacy and meet competency through the sources of self-efficacy. Benefits of the mentorship experience include the emotional, social, and cognitive support novice NPs receive when paired with a mentor. Novice NPs are supported to achieve competency and transition into clinical practice with greater self-efficacy when paired with an expert clinician in a structured mentor experience.
Recommended Citation
Darnall, Collan J., "Evaluating the Utility of Mentorships To Improve Self-Efficacy Among Novice Nurse Practitioners: A Qualitative Study" (2026). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones. 233.
https://scholarworks.bellarmine.edu/tdc/233