The GW Nursing Office of Research sat down with Asefeh Faraz Covelli, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, an Associate Professor at the GW School of Nursing, to learn more about her and her work at GW.
Hometown and Educational Background
I was born in Tehran, Iran, and grew up in Seattle, Washington. I earned my B.S. in Psychology and B.A. in Spanish from the University of Washington, and my M.S.N. as a Family Nurse Practitioner and my Ph.D. in Nursing from Yale University.
Current Work
My research focuses on nurse practitioner (NP) workforce issues, with emphasis on the novice NP workforce transition. I have steadily built my knowledge of the factors that influence the NP workforce transition, and my aim is to improve this often-difficult time for new NPs using evidence-based interventions. During the first phase of my research career, I created the framework and instrument to understand the transition experience for novice NPs. In the next phase of my research career, my goal is to examine the effects of modifiable factors that may improve the NP role transition. These include, but are not limited to, NP student educational and clinical experiences, as well as postgraduate residency and fellowship programs. My current projects are: 1) further validating the Novice Nurse Practitioner Role Transition Scale, which I co-developed, and 2) conducting a systematic review of advanced practice provider residency, fellowship and onboarding programs to understand program-level outcomes. A critical aspect that is often overlooked by education institutions and employers is how best to support new and developing NPs in their role transition. I hope to contribute novel research and useful resources, such as the forthcoming NP transition to practice book I co-edited, so that stakeholders and NPs can access the benefits of knowledge creation vis-a-vis a practical guide.
How I Got Interested In Research
I first became interested in research as an undergraduate student in psychology, where I had two research experiences: understanding the effects of adiposity signals in the brain on obesity and the effects of emotion regulation on memory. I thoroughly enjoyed the research process, and understanding the relationships between variables and their effects on the brain. My interest in research was piqued, but it was not until I graduated with my Master’s degree, that I realized what my research passion would be. When I began working as an NP in a community health center, I realized the gap between my educational experience and the reality of professional practice. I felt unprepared and unsupported in my role as an NP, and heard the same from fellow recent graduates. I wondered how many other recent NP graduates were struggling in their new roles. As a result, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. and focus my research on improving the NP role transition.
Fun Facts
I am married to my wonderful husband Vincent and have two lovely children, Elias (3) and Sofia (1). We live in Laguna Beach, California, and enjoy traveling and good food. When I am not spending time with my family, my hobbies include yoga and skiing.