title: [A qualitative assessment of the impact of a specialist nurse in outpatient urology consultations].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper presents the results of a prospective study of outpatient urology consultations designed to provide evidence of the benefits of using a specialist nurse to improve quality of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  135 patients (95 men and 40 women) were included in the study. Urinary disorders were defined using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), developed by the World Health Organization (WHO). The activity/ participation component was studied from a communication perspective before and after the urology consultation. Scores were obtained using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The VAS was also used to assess the role of the nurse as a facilitator (environmental factors component). A statistical analysis was performed on the population, as was an analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the activity/participation component.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The participants were aged between 4years 10 months and 96years (m = 63.29; standard deviation (SD) = 19.71). The median score for the urological disorders was 2. An analysis of variance of the two questions relating to the activity/participation component indicated a significant difference between the two groups (F = 6.4172; p < 0.001). A third question was used to assess the environmental factors component (nurse as facilitator), with a mean VAS score of97.79% (SD= 4.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The purpose of this prospective study was to conduct a qualitative assessment of the impact of involving a specialist nurse in outpatient urology consultations. The study demonstrated that the qualitative impact of using a specialist nurse as a facilitator (environmental factors component) is extremely important for the participatory dimension of communication, particularly in terms of understanding medical information.
authors: Urologues, Centre Hospitalier Tubize-Nivelles, 1, rue Samiette - 1400 Nivelles, Belgique. luc.timmermans@ulb.ac.be
authors: Luc
authors: L
authors: Timmermans
authors: Annick
authors: A
authors: Larroumets
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Chantal
authors: C
authors: Defourny
authors: Freddy
authors: F
authors: Falez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000451:nursing*; D055815:Young Adult