Nursing outside the lines in the ambulatory surgery setting

Abstract

N r m b t MORE THAN 32 million people underwent ambulatory surgery (AS) procedures in the United States in 2000. Considering even 1 family member or friend for each patient, that relates to a mammoth number of people interacting with AS nurses in some manner annually. Many patients will have relationships with primary care physicians and thus, will have access to general health information, but others will either have no primary care physicians or will not regularly see their own physicians. Considering all the unhealthy advertising that bombards Americans on a day-to-day basis, it seems even more important to provide information about options for making better choices.