Question 1

A nurse is conducting a presentation for a group of nurses who are considering a transition to ambulatory care. What topic(s) should the nurse mention as relevant to the transition to ambulatory care? Select all that apply.

A)Educational preparation
B)Skill development
C)Access to continuing education
D)Availability of support systems
E)Possibility of receiving lower wages

Educational preparation
Skill development
Access to continuing education
Availability of support systems

Accepted Answer

The major barriers or enablers in the transition to ambulatory care include relevant educational preparation, skills development, access to continuing education, and availability of support systems. There is a perception that transitioning into ambulatory care from acute care may lead to lower wages, but this is not the case.

Question 2

A nurse who is thinking about moving to ambulatory care asks an ambulatory care nurse, "Which setting would allow me to practice nursing that offers the most variety in scope of practice?" The ambulatory care nurse would likely suggest which setting?

A)Medical specialty clinic
B)Population-focused setting
C)Primary care
D)Outpatient treatment center

Primary care

Accepted Answer

Although any ambulatory care setting would allow for a nurse to practice, the primary care setting arguably provides the registered nurse with the greatest potential for variety in scope of practice.

Question 3

An ambulatory care nurse is conducting an in-service education program for a group of faculty at a local college. The nurse is discussing the key competencies that should be addressed in the curriculum to adequately prepare nurses for practice in ambulatory care settings. The nurse would focus the discussion on which competenc(ies)? Select all that apply.

A)Care coordination
B)Interprofessional practice
C)Autonomous individual roles
D)Population health
E)Safety

Care coordination
Interprofessional practice
Population health
Safety

Accepted Answer

The core competencies for RNs in ambulatory settings include a range of content including care coordination, quality and safety, interprofessional practice and teamwork, and public/population health nursing. All of these competencies are enacted in the context of team-managed care.

Question 4

When evaluating how well a nursing education program addresses ambulatory care and the required competencies for practice, which component(s), if present, would demonstrate adherence to the competencies? Select all that apply.

A)Stand-alone courses providing an overview of the practice
B)Teaching faculty with wide-ranging educational experience in ambulatory care
C)Content directed toward the advanced practice nurse
D)Core concepts presented in a sequential manner
E)Opportunities provided for interprofessional learning

Accepted Answer

Several questions are important for all educators to consider in assessing the adequacy of their curriculum in addressing ambulatory care competencies. These include: "Is the curriculum designed to foster mastery of core knowledge and competencies in ambulatory settings, whether taught in stand-alone courses or integrated throughout the curriculum?"; "Do faculty have sufficient educational and experiential preparation in ambulatory care nursing and/or population health?"; "Are the teaching/learning methods and technologies appropriate for student learning, and are the core concepts and learning experiences arranged in a sequential, leveling manner?"; "Is the content appropriate for the RN generalist level rather than for advanced practice?"; "Are there opportunities for education-service collaboration and mentoring?"; and "Are there opportunities for interprofessional learning and practice?" Providing an overview of the practice and gearing the content to advanced practice nurses would not adequately meet the core competencies.

Question 5

A local college of nursing has partnered with an ambulatory care organization to provide learning for their students. Which aspect would be essential to the success of this partnership?&#10;A)Service to a diverse population&#10;B)Nurses providing effective preceptorship&#10;C)Setting in an accessible location&#10;D)Organization with expanded service hours

Accepted Answer

Although a diverse population, accessible location, and expanded service hours may impact the partnership, an essential part of a successful clinical partnership is effective preceptorship. Because ambulatory care does not support the traditional setting of one clinical instructor to six or more students, there is a great need for RN preceptors in the clinical setting.

Deck 11: Ambulatory Care: Educating the Next Generation