A Patient Survey on Emergency Department Use of Nurse Practitioners

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the willingness of emergency department patients, triaged to fast track areas, to be treated by an advanced practice registered nurse. A survey was distributed to a convenience sample of patients triaged to fast track areas in three southeastern emergency departments. The survey contained basic demographic information, four multiple-choice questions, and a section for comments. A majority of patients (65%) responded that they were willing to be treated by a nurse practitioner. Patients who had been treated by a nurse practitioner in the past were more willing to be treated by a nurse practitioner during this visit. Implications for practice: The results of this study support the addition of nurse practitioners to fast track emergency department teams. Additional studies that focus on public and professional education regarding the role of the emergency nurse practitioner are warranted.