Concern, continuity, and choice: a health promotion formula for advanced practice nurses

Promoting health in a newly established nurse practitioner family practice was a major undertaking for one advanced practice nurse (APN) in a semi-rural community in southern California. The alignment of the resources necessary to begin such a practice opened many doors not previously traversed by nurses in this community. Likewise, the development of a formula and model for health promotion came about as a result of overcoming the obstacles to starting this private practice as well as the positive rewards of patient encounters over time. Episodes of concern for patients, continuous care, and choices in health care decisions come together to illustrate this formula. The research data supporting the practice further demonstrate the plausibility of the APN becoming a provider of health promotion in the primary care setting.