The past decade has seen a tremendous change in ambulatory care nursing. Throughout the United States, ambulatory care nurses typically practice in clinics and hospital systems with the common patient theme being – the patient walks in and then walks back out. Historically, the outpatient setting was driven solely by physician practices. These physicians generally saw patients that were referred to them, tackled the issues that they could, and then referred to patient to additional providers as needed. The system was driven by individual physicians and there was not a large role for registered nurses working throughout the outpatient setting.
Hospital systems began to change – they grew larger, more financially diversified, and newer technology allowed for less intrusive procedures. As such, more and more patients could be treated on an outpatient basis. As our general population began to age, more and more patients (with increasingly complex issues) began to enter this new health care landscape. The combination of these factors led to the need for registered nurses to work within the ambulatory setting.
Today, ambulatory care nursing is a booming specialty. Complete with its own nursing specialty certificates, ambulatory care continuing nursing education and career paths. Within the ambulatory care setting, registered nurses must be able to provide a wide range of nursing interventions and activities. Further, the limited time frame per patient adds additional complexity. Nurses must perform tasks and interventions in a very structured and focused manner.
Modern outpatient facilities now dot the United States. In most instances these have been developed by the large regional hospital systems. Together, these centers serve millions of Americans each year and they exist in a variety of forms – such as small regional or “local neighborhood” clinics. The response of Americans to this structural change has been increasingly positive, and thus, the continued demand for ambulatory care nurses can be expected.
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