title: The Direct Observation of Nurse Practitioner Care study: An overview of the NP/patient visit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  While there is a preponderance of studies that demonstrate the quality of nurse practitioner (NP) practice, little is known on the practice style of NPs. The Direct Observation of Nurse Practitioner Care study provided the first national direct observation and characterization of patient care delivered by primary care NPs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting for this study was ambulatory care practices of NPs located throughout the United States. A nested sample was utilized, consisting of 22 NPs during visits with 245 patients. Observational data were collected during each visit using the Davis observation code (DOC). Patient information was collected from chart reviews and postvisit surveys. Each NP filled out a demographic and practice survey.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visits to NPs were 18 min on average, and were most frequently for new/acute problems (45.1%) or routine chronic problems (30.2%). Overall, NPs spent the most time planning treatment, history taking, and providing health education. Topics that NPs frequently provided health education about included medication action and side effects, disease process education, diet, and nutrition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from this study will allow for detailed characterizations of a patient-NP visit and average length of the visit and the time use based on the DOC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Nursing, Frontier Nursing University, Hyden, Kentucky.
authors.forename: Sharon M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Weyer
authors.affiliation: Research Department, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Michelle L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: Research Department, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, Austin, Texas.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Riley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000592:standards* / Q000639:trends; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS); Nurse practitioners; ambulatory care; descriptive research; healthcare delivery; practice-based research networks (PBRN); primary care