Implementation of an Oncology Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program Focused on Adult Stem Transplant and Cellular Therapy Training

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Nurse practitioner (NP) graduate programs mainly focus on primary care and lack specialty training. It is important that new NPs entering the field of hematology are prepared to manage the complexity of patient care involved with the transplant and immunotherapy population. Inadequate training and mentoring can lead to poor job satisfaction, burnout, high turnover and suboptimal proactive care assessment and interventions impacting patient outcomes. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis In 2017, the Oncology NP fellowship was initiated. With the FDA approval of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy came the vision to expand the fellowship to include a designated track for the transplant program. The NP fellow spends one year immersed in managing stem cell transplant and cellular therapy patients in the inpatient and outpatient setting under the guidance of a senior transplant NP and mentor. The program includes didactic and clinical experiences with a curriculum based on national guidelines and clear endpoints for successful completion (Figure 1). Findings & Interpretation It is critical to the development for NPs interested in practicing in specialty services have a standardized framework for training. This allows the NP the opportunity to gain the necessary knowledge and confidence to manage transplant and cellular patients effectively, provide quality care and become valuable members of the multidisciplinary team. Discussion & Implications The role of the transplant NP continues to evolve. It is vital to establish training programs to support the growing complexity of cancer care. Development of specialty training programs promotes a structural framework (Figure 2) and smooth integration of the new NP into transplant and cellular therapy programs.