Changes occurring in the healthcare environment require healthcare delivery systems to provide high quality care services with increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Healthcare systems are encouraged to use less expensive care providers for medical management responsibilities while maintaining or increasing quality of patient care. Accompanying the changes in healthcare delivery modes is the parallel rise in patient acuity levels related to chronic illnesses of patients admitted for cardiac services such as cardiovascular surgeries. This retrospective, 2-group comparison study examined patient and economic outcomes between 2 groups of adult patients for whom postoperative cardiovascular care was directed by either cardiovascular surgeons alone or cardiovascular surgeons in collaboration with acute care nurse practitioners. Outcome measures included length of stay and cost for an episode of care. Findings revealed that when cardiovascular surgeons, in collaboration with acute care nurse practitioners, directed postoperative care, the length of stay decreased 1.91 days and total cost decreased $5,038.91 per patient.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
1 April 2005
Quality Indicators|
April 01 2005
Cardiovascular Surgeon and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: Collaboration on Postoperative Outcomes
Susan C. Meyer, DSN, RN;
From the Comprehensive Cancer Institute and Huntsville Hospital, Ala (Dr Meyer), and University of Alabama, School of Nursing, Birmingham (Dr Miers).
Reprint requests to Susan C. Meyer, Research Coordinator, Comprehensive Cancer Institute and Huntsville Hospital, 42 St. James Sq., Huntsville, AL 35801 ([email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Linda J. Miers, DSN, RN
Linda J. Miers, DSN, RN
From the Comprehensive Cancer Institute and Huntsville Hospital, Ala (Dr Meyer), and University of Alabama, School of Nursing, Birmingham (Dr Miers).
Search for other works by this author on:
AACN Adv Crit Care (2005) 16 (2): 149–158.
Citation
Susan C. Meyer, Linda J. Miers; Cardiovascular Surgeon and Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: Collaboration on Postoperative Outcomes. AACN Adv Crit Care 1 April 2005; 16 (2): 149–158. doi:
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Short-term Access
Purchase short-term access on a pay-per-article or pay-per-issue basis.
$15 72 - hour single article access $30 7 - day full issue access
20
Views