Ambulatory Care Nurse

Last Updated On Aug 21, 2024

Expert Verified: Catherine Burger, MSOL, RN, NEA-BC, LNC

6 Min Read

What is an Ambulatory Care Nurse?

An ambulatory care nurse refers to any RN who sees patients in an outpatient setting. This general nurse tends to care for non-emergency patients in a medical office, clinic, health facility, or any healthcare setting where patients do not stay overnight. Occasionally there are ambulatory care wings in a hospital, but generally speaking, this type of nurse does not usually work in a hospital environment. Ambulatory care nurses see a variety of patients for things like routine check-ups, injuries, chronic or acute illness, and more. They may specialize in niche areas such as pediatrics. These nurses must have astute, multidisciplinary clinical knowledge to be able to assess and expedite appropriate care.

How to Become an Ambulatory Care Nurse

Ambulatory care is an excellent specialty for licensed RNs of any background, since the care provided is broad. It's also ideal for those coming out of nursing school who don't want to work odd hours or be in a stressful hospital environment. Upon earning a degree and passing the NCLEX-RN, a nurse is eligible to work in ambulatory care. With a few years of experience, they can go on to become certified in the specialty.

What Are the Schooling Requirements for Ambulatory Care Nurses?

Ambulatory care nurses are licensed RNs who have earned a two-year Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a four-year Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. Some employers may prefer or require ambulatory care nurses with a BSN or higher from an accredited nursing school. Ambulatory nursing is a great starting point for new nurse grads to gain experience and decide if they want to specialize in anything; it's also ideal for those who know they want to work regular daytime hours.

Are Any Certifications or Credentials Needed?

The American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing offers the Ambulatory Care Nurse Certification Exam. Registered nurses who pass the exam receive the RN-BC (Registered Nurse-Board Certified) credential. To be eligible to take the exam, an RN must meet the following criteria:

Hold a current, active RN license
Have been a practicing, full-time RN for at least two years
Have a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in ambulatory care within the last three years
Have completed 30 hours of continuing education in ambulatory care nursing within the last three years

What Does an Ambulatory Care Nurse Do?

Ambulatory care nurses have an incredibly diverse set of day-to-day tasks. They provide care to a wide array of patients of all ages by monitoring vital signs, performing phlebotomy procedures, coordinating health services, providing health education, and evaluating patient outcomes, amongst a myriad of other tasks. Much of their job involves pain management and properly administering pain medication. Ambulatory care nurses must think on their feet and be prepared for any number of health issues that they could come across from patient to patient, ranging from illness to injury and everything in between. Aside from this, they are regularly charged with any number of administrative duties, including completing paperwork, delegating roles and responsibilities, and maintaining and adhering to rules, regulations, and policies.

Where Do Ambulatory Care Nurses Work?

Ambulatory care nurses can work in many different healthcare settings, making it an incredibly diverse nursing path:

Medical offices
Government institutions
College/university health centers
Home healthcare agencies
Community health clinics
Group practices

Some hospitals with ambulatory care units also hire this type of nurse. Lastly, ambulatory care nurses can also provide ‘telehealth' care via call centers, e-mail, or other remote means.

Ambulatory Care Nurse FAQs

As with any area of nursing, ambulatory care nurses can face a specific set of challenges. For example, as more patient care is shifted to the outpatient setting, patients with higher acuity are being seen in clinics. For example, many patients are discharged from the hospital or ED with instructions to follow up with their primary care doctor. Sometimes the issues they were admitted with are still ongoing, and they still need a higher level of care than can be provided in the clinic setting.

Another example of this is when patients see their primary care doctor and an acute disease process is identified, such as a rule out stroke or MI. Many patients do not recognize the warning signs for certain potentially life-threatening conditions and schedule a routine visit with their doctor for advice. Ambulatory care nurses need to act quickly to get them transferred to the appropriate level of care.

Another challenge that ambulatory care nurses face is working with fewer nursing staff. Many ambulatory care RNs work solo or with one or two others. Although physicians and nurse practitioners are more likely to be present during a shift, RNs frequently rely on each other for support over specific patient care issues.

What Are the Roles and Duties of an Ambulatory Care Nurse?

Evaluate a patient's general health
Take and monitor vital signs
Perform phlebotomy procedures
Assist patients in managing their healthcare
Coordinate and recommend other healthcare services
Promote optimal wellness
Treat and assist patients with illness and injury
Evaluate nursing services within an organization to ensure proper legal and regulatory standards and departmental policies are upheld
Discuss and evaluate a patient's symptoms
Provide health-related education to patients and families

Ambulatory Care Nurse Salary & Employment

Typically, there is a range of nursing salaries due to things like location, experience, education level, and more. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median salary of an ambulatory care nurse at roughly $86,070 annually.

Aside from being a diverse nursing specialty, the employment outlook for an ambulatory care nurse is favorable as well. Many doctors and surgeons are now performing in-office surgical procedures where a patient does not require an overnight stay, making ambulatory care nurses highly desirable. The sheer number of employment locations also means that this type of nurse should have no trouble finding a job in a variety of different healthcare settings.