Defining the acute in acute care nurse practitioner

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Administration

Background:

• The role of nurse practitioners in tertiary care settings is well-established.
• The introduction of a national certifying examination for acute care nurse practitioners in 1995 necessitates a clear definition of "acute care."

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the conflicting use of the terms "acute care" and "critical care" in relevant literature.
• To provide a rationale for distinguishing between acute care and critical care for nurse practitioners.
• To suggest a re-examination of the definition of "acute" in the context of acute care nurse practitioners.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to identify the interchangeable and distinct uses of "acute care" and "critical care."
• Analysis of the content of existing national certifying examinations for acute care nurse practitioners.

Main Results:

• The literature reveals inconsistent and conflicting usage of "acute care" and "critical care."
• Existing examinations for acute care nurse practitioners include critical care content, despite potential differences between the specialties.
• A clear, universally acknowledged definition of "acute care" is lacking.

Conclusions:

• The terms "acute care" and "critical care" are not synonymous and require distinct definitions.
• The current certifying examination for acute care nurse practitioners may need content or title revision to reflect accurate specialty distinctions.
• Revisiting the definition of "acute" is crucial for the accurate titling and content of nurse practitioner certifications.