Ambulatory care nursing

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Ambulatory care nursing is the nursing care of patients who receive treatment on an outpatient basis, ie they do not require admission to a hospital for an overnight stay. [1] Ambulatory care includes those clinical, organizational and professional activities engaged in by registered nurses with and for individuals, groups, and populations who seek assistance with improving health and/or seek care for health-related problems. [2] The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN) describes ambulatory care nursing as a comprehensive practice which is built on a broad knowledge base of nursing and health sciences, and applies clinical expertise rooted in the nursing process. [2]

Contents

Ambulatory care nurses use evidence based information across a variety of outpatient health care settings to achieve and ensure patient safety and quality of care while improving patient outcomes. Contact with patients in ambulatory care is often relatively brief, and in the context of a high volume of patients. Nurses in this setting require sound assessment skills and the ability to guide patients in making informed health choices. [3] Quality ambulatory care nursing has been associated with fewer emergency department visits, hospital visits and readmissions. [4]

Defining characteristics

See also

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References

  1. "Ambulatory care". The Free Dictionary. Farlex. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "What is Ambulatory Care Nursing?". American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nurses. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  3. Stokowski, Laura A (September 26, 2011). "Ambulatory Care Nursing: Yes, It's a Specialty". Medscape Nurses. WebMD. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  4. Williams, Scott (February 12, 2007). "Nurse Leaders Study Value of Ambulatory Care Nurses". Nurse.com. Gannett Healthcare Group. Archived from the original on 16 October 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2014.