The Role of the Nurse in the Outpatient Setting

Abstract

This report was motivated by the perceptions I believe other nurses have of outpatient nurses. Outpatient nurses are often seen as nurses who are less important or skilled and can no longer physically cope with working in busy wards. This report is aimed to challenge this presumption and show that there are many educated and highly skilled nurses working in these departments. The diversity of the role of the nurse within the continued advancement of nursing practice in the outpatient department is evidence to disprove the perceptions other nurses have of the outpatient nurse. The purpose of this report was to discuss the changing role of the outpatient nurse from 'handmaiden' to 'autonomous practitioner', and secondly, to discuss nurse-led services and what experience and/or skills these nurses are expected to have to fulfill these roles. Literature was gathered to inform this report from the academic circles, policy from the Ministry of Health, the District Health Board website, and in relation to my own role with the outpatient department. There is debate as to what skills and experience are required for nurses to fulfill roles within nurse-led clinics/services. There is literature, mainly from the United Kingdom, discussing nurse-led services and the individual preferences required, but no definitive plans of action. The literature shows how successful nurse-led services are and how they can be applied to many settings. There are differing opinions on what experience and education a nurse is expected to have, but most agree that the nurse needs to be at a senior level. In conclusion, I believe that this paper is both nationally and internationally relevant as it discusses the policy of advanced nursing practice and shows the differing opinions of many healthcare professionals. I recommend that more research and/or discussion needs to take place to standarise terminology and expand on nurse-led services within the healthcare setting. I believe that as long as the appropriately skilled nurse is chosen for these positions in nurse-led clinics, it will provide the nurse many opportunities to provide a more holistic approach and improve the outcomes for patients. I do feel that nurses who are employed in these positions respect their own scope of practice and have adequate training and on-going education to enable them to do their job to the best of their abilities.