Strengthening advanced practice through the nurse practitioner clinician-scientist

ABSTRACT: This commentary discusses the emerging role of nurse practitioner (NP) clinician-scientists and its implications for strengthening advanced practice within acute care health systems. Although NPs have transformed health care delivery in acute care settings, research describing their optimal deployment, system-level impact, and workforce sustainability remains limited. We argue that NP clinician-scientists, clinically active NPs with formal research training, are uniquely positioned to bridge frontline practice and rigorous scientific inquiry. Their embedded roles within Learning Health Systems enable pragmatic trials and workflow redesign that directly reflects real-world care delivery. We highlight the growth and impact of NPs in acute care settings, explain why NP clinician-scientists matter, and outline what they can uniquely contribute. Finally, we describe organizational and academic strategies to cultivate this emerging role. Intentional investment in NP clinician-scientists represents a strategic opportunity to generate actionable evidence, strengthen interdisciplinary care models, and advance quality and workforce sustainability in health systems.