Other Titles
Reducing the Strain on Emergency Medical Services: Implementation of a Rural Community Nursing Intervention [Poster Title]
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Introduction: Community nursing serves as an alternative healthcare model aimed to enhance access to care for patients who are Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas and have a chronic medical condition. Timely access to healthcare is essential to prevent frequent emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization.
Background: Over 80% of Medicare beneficiaries manage at least one chronic illness while 68% manage two or more. Populations in rural areas face significant barriers to healthcare access including provider shortages and geographic isolation. The community nursing intervention reduces ED visits and hospital admissions for Medicare patients with chronic disease in rural settings.
Methods: A literature review was performed utilizing research from various qualitative and quantitative studies between 2017 and 2023. This review and analysis aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials, focusing on public health and primary care initiatives. Common themes identified: alternative care model, reduction in healthcare utilization, the role of a community nurse, and barriers to community nursing.
Results: Results of this literature review suggest community nursing contributes to healthcare utilization reduction, improved chronic disease management, and augmented patient education. The Length of stay, Acuity, Comorbidities, and Emergency department visits (LACE) is a suggested tool to help identify high risk patients who may benefit from community nursing interventions. Other alternative care models, such as community paramedicine, demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of in-home, nurse led healthcare management strategies.
Conclusion: Studies reviewed indicate implementation challenges that require the need for standardized training programs for community nurses, continuity of care through a patient referral process, and policy support for sustainable longevity of community nursing and its funding. Future recommendations include pilot programs to evaluate effectiveness, stakeholder collaboration, and policy advocacy for rural and Medicare healthcare services. Community nursing presents as a viable solution to address healthcare disparities by improving health equity and reducing the burden on emergency services in rural Medicare populations.
Notes
Reference list attached as separate document file.
Sigma Membership
Pi Phi
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Literature Review
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Complementary Health Practices, Community Nursing, Healthcare Access, Reducing Emergency Department Visits
Recommended Citation
Yudin, Nikoli; Evoy, Daniel; Kiersch, Cameron; and Haugh, Robin, "Reducing the Strain on Emergency Medical Services: A Rural Community Nursing Intervention" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 84.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/posters_2025/84
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-09
Reducing the Strain on Emergency Medical Services: A Rural Community Nursing Intervention
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Introduction: Community nursing serves as an alternative healthcare model aimed to enhance access to care for patients who are Medicare beneficiaries in rural areas and have a chronic medical condition. Timely access to healthcare is essential to prevent frequent emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization.
Background: Over 80% of Medicare beneficiaries manage at least one chronic illness while 68% manage two or more. Populations in rural areas face significant barriers to healthcare access including provider shortages and geographic isolation. The community nursing intervention reduces ED visits and hospital admissions for Medicare patients with chronic disease in rural settings.
Methods: A literature review was performed utilizing research from various qualitative and quantitative studies between 2017 and 2023. This review and analysis aligned with the 2021 AACN Essentials, focusing on public health and primary care initiatives. Common themes identified: alternative care model, reduction in healthcare utilization, the role of a community nurse, and barriers to community nursing.
Results: Results of this literature review suggest community nursing contributes to healthcare utilization reduction, improved chronic disease management, and augmented patient education. The Length of stay, Acuity, Comorbidities, and Emergency department visits (LACE) is a suggested tool to help identify high risk patients who may benefit from community nursing interventions. Other alternative care models, such as community paramedicine, demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of in-home, nurse led healthcare management strategies.
Conclusion: Studies reviewed indicate implementation challenges that require the need for standardized training programs for community nurses, continuity of care through a patient referral process, and policy support for sustainable longevity of community nursing and its funding. Future recommendations include pilot programs to evaluate effectiveness, stakeholder collaboration, and policy advocacy for rural and Medicare healthcare services. Community nursing presents as a viable solution to address healthcare disparities by improving health equity and reducing the burden on emergency services in rural Medicare populations.