Implementation of a Nurse Practitioner-Led Drive-Through COVID-19 Testing Site

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Management
• Healthcare Operations

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates efficient patient testing strategies.
• Traditional testing sites face challenges in scalability and resource utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency of a drive-through testing model for COVID-19.
• To compare the drive-through model with brick-and-mortar clinics regarding cost and resource use.
• To highlight the leadership role of nurse practitioners in pandemic testing sites.

Main Methods:

• Implementation and assessment of a drive-through COVID-19 testing site.
• Comparative analysis of cost per patient and personal protective equipment (PPE) usage.
• Observation and documentation of nurse practitioner leadership and operational management.

Main Results:

• The drive-through model proved to be an efficient method for testing large patient volumes.
• Significantly lower cost per patient was observed in the drive-through setting compared to clinics.
• Reduced personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization was noted in the drive-through model.
• Nurse practitioners exhibited effective leadership, leveraging adaptability and care coordination skills.

Conclusions:

• Drive-through testing offers an efficient and resource-sparing approach to manage large-scale pandemic testing.
• Nurse practitioners are well-suited for leadership roles in dynamic healthcare settings like drive-through testing sites.
• This model demonstrates successful integration of efficient logistics and clinical leadership for public health crises.