Evaluation of the Role of the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in an Inpatient Asthma Program

IntroductionIn 1994, pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) at St. Louis Children's Hospital developed a program to improve the care of children admitted with asthma. In the Asthma Intervention Model, PNPs directly manage the care of children hospitalized with asthma and are instrumental in hospital-wide education. An evaluation study was conducted to measure effectiveness of this inpatient PNP role.MethodsAttending physicians, interns, nurses, and families were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the PNPs as care manager and educator. A 16-item asthma knowledge test was administered to interns at the start and conclusion of their intern year. Length of stay, readmission rate, and cost were evaluated.ResultsPNPs were found to be effective in the inpatient asthma role by all participants. Significant gains were noted in intern knowledge and confidence in caring for asthma. Interns identified the PNPs as important contributors to their education. No significant differences occurred between interns and PNPs in length of stay, cost, readmissions, or severity of the condition of the asthma patients.DiscussionPNPs in the inpatient asthma setting are effective care managers and educators.