Evaluation of the Nurse Practitioner Offsite Model

Area of Science:

• Gerontological Nursing
• Rural Health
• Healthcare Access

Background:

• Rural older adults in assisted living facilities face challenges accessing timely healthcare for urgent and chronic conditions.
• Limited healthcare access impacts disease management and overall well-being for this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the satisfaction levels of residents, families, and staff with an established Nurse Practitioner (NP) Offsite Visit Program.
• To identify key themes and perceived benefits of the NP program from the perspective of stakeholders.

Main Methods:

• Administered the NP Satisfaction Survey to residents and their families, assessing satisfaction, communication, and accessibility.
• Conducted a focus interview with assisted living staff to gather qualitative insights on the program's impact.

Main Results:

• Residents and families reported high satisfaction (mean score 81.5), communication (mean score 26.4), and accessibility (mean score 16.9) with the NP program.
• Staff focus interviews highlighted improvements in care coordination, prevention of acute care utilization, and enhanced access to care.

Conclusions:

• The NP Offsite Visit Program is perceived as beneficial by residents, families, and staff, significantly improving care coordination.
• Future research should focus on the program's impact on health outcomes and optimizing the Offsite team composition.