SHN2004 (Acute Care) Role of the Nurse in Acute Care
The Role of the Nurse in Acute Care – Community
Aims and Objectives
Aim
o For the student to gain an understanding of acute care delivered within the
community.
Objectives - By the end of this session the student will be able to:
o Compare acute care given in the hospital setting to acute care given in the
community.
o Discuss the difference in types of care delivered in acute and community
settings.
o Interpret when hospital care can be delivered in the community setting
through appropriate service provision.
o Analyse key principles of providing acute care in the community.
Groupwork
Define what acute care is/consists of
o Active/immediate short term care
Discuss and list types of acute care nursing that can be provided within the
community setting.
o Post-surgery
o Wound Care
o Drug Administration
o Oxygen Therapy
o Allergies
o Diabetes
o Mental Health
o Management of long-term chronic conditions to prevent an acute incident
Identify which professions can facilitate care in the community.
o Community Nurse
o Parents (with training)
o General Public
o Paramedics
o Doctors
o Health Visitors
What is acute care?
WHO (2013) Definition:
o “A reasonable working definition of acute care would include the most time-
sensitive, individually-oriented diagnostic and curative actions whose primary
1
, SHN2004 (Acute Care) Role of the Nurse in Acute Care
purpose is to improve health… Acute care includes the health system
components…used to treat sudden, often unexpected, urgent … episodes of
injury and illness that can lead to death or disability without rapid
intervention”. WHO (2013)
So, ultimately:
o “The term acute care encompasses a range of clinical health-care functions,
including emergency medicine, trauma care, pre-hospital emergency care,
acute care surgery, critical care, urgent care and short-term inpatient
stabilization”.
o (a) Treatment of individuals with acute surgical needs.
o (b) Treatment of individuals with acute life- or limb-threatening medical
needs.
o (c) Ambulatory medical care delivered outside hospitals, usually unscheduled.
o (d) Treatment of individuals with acute needs before delivery of definitive
treatment i.e surgical intervention.
o (e) Care provided in the community until the patient arrives at a formal
health-care facility capable of giving definitive care.
o (f) The specialized care of patients whose conditions are life-threatening
requiring comprehensive care & constant monitoring.
How does this compare to ‘normal’ community care?
Aligned to both primary care and hospital specialist outreach services that tend to
also be related to children with chronic, and potentially life-limiting prognoses
(Davies & Bodycombe-James, 2017).
“A field of nursing that is a blend of primary health care and nursing practice with
public health nursing. The community health nurse conducts a continuing and
comprehensive practice that is preventive, curative and rehabilitative” (Mosby’s
Medical Dictionary, 2009).
What about community ‘hospital at home’ services?
2
The Role of the Nurse in Acute Care – Community
Aims and Objectives
Aim
o For the student to gain an understanding of acute care delivered within the
community.
Objectives - By the end of this session the student will be able to:
o Compare acute care given in the hospital setting to acute care given in the
community.
o Discuss the difference in types of care delivered in acute and community
settings.
o Interpret when hospital care can be delivered in the community setting
through appropriate service provision.
o Analyse key principles of providing acute care in the community.
Groupwork
Define what acute care is/consists of
o Active/immediate short term care
Discuss and list types of acute care nursing that can be provided within the
community setting.
o Post-surgery
o Wound Care
o Drug Administration
o Oxygen Therapy
o Allergies
o Diabetes
o Mental Health
o Management of long-term chronic conditions to prevent an acute incident
Identify which professions can facilitate care in the community.
o Community Nurse
o Parents (with training)
o General Public
o Paramedics
o Doctors
o Health Visitors
What is acute care?
WHO (2013) Definition:
o “A reasonable working definition of acute care would include the most time-
sensitive, individually-oriented diagnostic and curative actions whose primary
1
, SHN2004 (Acute Care) Role of the Nurse in Acute Care
purpose is to improve health… Acute care includes the health system
components…used to treat sudden, often unexpected, urgent … episodes of
injury and illness that can lead to death or disability without rapid
intervention”. WHO (2013)
So, ultimately:
o “The term acute care encompasses a range of clinical health-care functions,
including emergency medicine, trauma care, pre-hospital emergency care,
acute care surgery, critical care, urgent care and short-term inpatient
stabilization”.
o (a) Treatment of individuals with acute surgical needs.
o (b) Treatment of individuals with acute life- or limb-threatening medical
needs.
o (c) Ambulatory medical care delivered outside hospitals, usually unscheduled.
o (d) Treatment of individuals with acute needs before delivery of definitive
treatment i.e surgical intervention.
o (e) Care provided in the community until the patient arrives at a formal
health-care facility capable of giving definitive care.
o (f) The specialized care of patients whose conditions are life-threatening
requiring comprehensive care & constant monitoring.
How does this compare to ‘normal’ community care?
Aligned to both primary care and hospital specialist outreach services that tend to
also be related to children with chronic, and potentially life-limiting prognoses
(Davies & Bodycombe-James, 2017).
“A field of nursing that is a blend of primary health care and nursing practice with
public health nursing. The community health nurse conducts a continuing and
comprehensive practice that is preventive, curative and rehabilitative” (Mosby’s
Medical Dictionary, 2009).
What about community ‘hospital at home’ services?
2
