Vascular nurse practitioner: a collaborative practice role in the acute care setting

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Surgical Care
• Healthcare Delivery Models

Background:

• The integration of advanced practice providers into surgical teams is evolving.
• Optimizing patient care coordination within specialized services is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of a nurse practitioner (NP) in an acute-care vascular surgery setting.
• To assess the collaborative practice model between a vascular NP and surgeons.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative practice model was implemented in a university teaching hospital.
• A vascular NP managed and coordinated patient care alongside three surgeons.
• Data on NP activities (direct care, indirect care, administration, education, research) were collected.
• Patient, nurse, and physician satisfaction surveys were administered.

Main Results:

• The study tracked the daily work activities of the vascular NP.
• Patient, nurse, and physician satisfaction levels were measured.
• Data analysis informed future practice and highlighted the NP's role.

Conclusions:

• The collaborative practice model demonstrated the effectiveness of an NP in acute care vascular surgery.
• The vascular NP played a unique and integral role in patient management.
• This model offers insights into optimizing care delivery in specialized surgical services.