Nurse-Led Ambulatory Care

Abstract

The clinical area of focus in this chapter is a unique service within University College London Hospital which cares for adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with a cancer diagnosis. Ambulatory care (AC) provides cancer care in the outpatient setting which otherwise would require an inpatient stay. The service gives patients a greater choice about where and how they are cared for. AC can give patient more independance and control over their care but means more responsibility for patients and their families. The service is a nurse-led unit where staff assess the patient’s condition daily and escalate if needed. The nursing team will often be the ones to decide if a patient is appropriate for AC or if they need to be on the ward. The service is able to function due to the use of mobile infusion pumps and its close proximity to local hotels.