Outpatient nursing is a career option for nurses who prefer to care for people who are not hospitalized. Examples include home health services, hospice care, private service nursing, and health clinics. Licensing is required.
Outpatient nursing is a career option for registered and licensed practical nurses who prefer to care for people who are not currently hospitalized. With this type of nursing career, nurses focus on providing short-term care to people who are recovering from an illness or injury, end-of-life care for terminally ill patients, or assisting inpatients who are about to be released from the hospital. . Here are some examples of outpatient nursing positions that may be a viable option for many nurses.
One of the most basic ambulatory nursing job opportunities is in the field of home health services. Here, the nurse becomes a full-time employee of a home health agency and receives a list of clients to visit her regularly in their homes. It is not uncommon for a home health nurse to visit each patient three to five times a week. Depending on the regulations that apply locally, the nurse helps the patient take medication prescribed by a physician, checks the patient’s vital signs, and communicates with the physicians if anything appears to be impeding the patient’s recovery.
Ambulatory nursing in a hospice setting is very similar to home healthcare, with one important distinction. Palliative care is generally concerned with providing end-of-life care to terminally ill patients. In this environment, the ambulatory nurse seeks to help the patient feel as comfortable as possible, performing routine medical tasks, handling medication administration, and even working with physicians to fill prescriptions for the patient. Outpatient nursing in a hospice setting is not for everyone, but it can be a very rewarding job for nurses who want to help a patient’s final days be as pleasant and comfortable as possible.
Another form of outpatient nursing is known as private service nursing. With this type of nursing position, the nurse is assigned to a specific patient. For a set number of hours a day, the nurse attends to the needs of the patient under her care. This often includes changing bandages, checking vital signs, administering medications, and generally working with other healthcare professionals to allow the patient at home to enjoy the highest possible quality of life. Unlike palliative care or home health employment, a private-duty nurse may be appointed by a human resources agency or contract directly with the patient or family.
There are other types of outpatient nursing opportunities found in health clinics and other private care settings. In general, nurses who work in these types of situations provide care to patients who do not require hospitalization. As with all types of nursing situations, working in ambulatory nursing requires licensing by the appropriate agency and jurisdiction.
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