What critical care nurses need to know about health care access when caring for elders in acute care settings.
Health care system issues, in general, and access to care, in particular, are not problems typically studied by critical care nurses. Rather, initial and continuing education focuses on clinical aspects of care. This focus is necessary to assure that critical care nurses have the expertise to care for patients who need astute surveillance for complicated physical problems and their emotional sequelae, as well as in-depth knowledge and skills related to care coordination for patient stabilization and transfer. However, evidence is growing that patients benefit when critical care nurses expand their knowledge about access to care. This article provides insights regarding access to health care and how it relates to many of the admission and readmission patterns that critical care nurses observe.
Jennings
Bonnie Mowinski
BM
Independent Health Care Consultant, 6828 Lamp Post Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306, USA. bmjennings@cox.net
Lamb
Gerri
G
D000368:Aged; D003422:Critical Care; D016330:Frail Elderly; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D006278:Medicare; D010351:Patient Discharge; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011361:Professional Competence; D014481:United States