The NSO does not specify a type of agency that can implement the model. It does require, however, that implementing agencies be organizations known in the community for providing prevention services to low-income families. All agencies that want to implement NFP must submit an implementation plan demonstrating that the organization is prepared to implement the model with fidelity.
Implementing Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP)®
Implementation last updated: 2019
The information in this profile reflects feedback, if provided, from this model’s developer as of the above date. The description of the implementation of the model(s) here may differ from how the model(s) was implemented in the research reviewed to determine this model’s evidence of effectiveness. Inclusion in the implementation report does not mean the practices described meet the HHS criteria for evidence of effectiveness. Similarly, models described here may not all have impact studies, and those with impact studies may vary in their effectiveness. Please see the Effectiveness button on the left for more information about research on the effectiveness of the models discussed here.
Prerequisites for implementation
Staffing requirements
Implementing agencies must have four types of staff: (1) nurse home visitors who conduct home visits with families, (2) nursing supervisors who supervise nurse home visitors, (3) an administrative assistant who manages data entry and other administrative tasks, and (4) a site administrator who oversees implementation of the model and sustainability of the program. Implementing agencies may also have other administrative staff whom agencies deem necessary to facilitate NFP implementation with fidelity.
Staff education and experience
The NSO requires that nurse home visitors and nursing supervisors be registered professional nurses with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in nursing. The NSO prefers that supervisors have a master’s degree in nursing. The model also requires that nurse home visitors and nursing supervisors attend in-person and web-based pre-service and ongoing education sessions. In addition, the NFP site administrator must attend and participate in administrator orientation. Additional administrators, program managers, and state staff may also attend administrator orientation.
Supervision requirements
The NSO requires that a full-time nursing supervisor oversees no more than eight individual nurse home visitors.
Nursing supervisors provide nurse home visitors with clinical and reflective supervision and facilitate professional development essential to the nurse home visitor role. Clinical supervision involves discussing topics such as client care and how to translate into practice the theories on which NFP is based. During reflective supervision, the supervisor and nurse home visitor discuss the nurse home visitor’s work with clients, the impact of the work on the nurse home visitor, and strategies to strengthen the nurse home visitor’s client relationships. Supervisory activities include one-on-one clinical and reflective supervision, case conferences, team meetings, and field supervision.
NSO nurse consultants regularly meet with nurse supervisors, by teleconference, video conference, and in person, to support operational efficiency, clinical practice, quality improvement, and implementation fidelity through collaborative data analysis, goal setting, and monitoring of progress.
Staff ratio requirements
The NSO requires that a full-time nurse home visitor carry a caseload of at least 25 clients.
Data systems/technology requirements
The NSO requires that implementing agencies use a web-based data system to enter data, including staff and client characteristics, maternal and child health information, and home visit documentation and that they make required data available to the NSO. Implementing agencies access reports through a web-based business intelligence portal.
Implementation notes
The information contained on this page was last updated in October 2019. Recommended Further Reading lists the sources for this information. In addition, the information contained in this profile was reviewed for accuracy by the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office on October 28, 2019. HomVEE reserves the right to edit the profile for clarity and consistency.