Dimensions of the staff nurse role in ambulatory care: Part II--Comparison of role dimensions in four ambulatory settings.

Ambulatory care nursing is one of the fastest growing and least studied areas of nursing practice. Information from a national survey of ambulatory nurses has been used to delineate the core dimensions of the current staff nurse role. Comparison of practice patterns of ambulatory staff nurses employed in university hospitals, community hospitals, physician group practices, and health maintenance organizations can provide insights for nurse managers interested in improving ambulatory nursing care delivery. Part III of this series, which will be published in the July/August 1995 issue, will examine how to use research data to design new models of nursing care delivery.