How do advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) patient outcomes compare with those of physicians and other health care teams without APRNs? A systematic review to be published in the September/October 2011 issue of Nursing Economic$ suggests APRNs garner similar and in some ways better outcomes than their physician counterparts.

This special report, which is being published online ahead of the print issue, reinforces that APRNs provide effective, high-quality patient care and play an important role in improving the quality of care in the United States. The article, "Advanced Practice Nurse Outcomes 1990-2008: A Systematic Review," is available online for free.

In this systematic review, Robin P. Newhouse, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, and co-authors compare APRN processes and outcomes to those of physician providers. Sixty-nine studies published between 1990 and 2008 were analyzed and 28 outcomes were summarized for nurses practicing in APRN roles.

Newhouse and her co-authors describe patient outcomes for each of three groups: nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and clinical nurse specialists. Outcomes with similar or better grades than those of physician comparison groups include:

• Nurse practitioners: Glucose control, lipid control, patient satisfaction, functional status, mortality
• Certified nurse-midwives: Cesarean, low APGAR score, episiotomy, labor analgesia, perineal lacerations
• Clinical nurse specialists: Satisfaction, length of stay, cost

The results indicate that APRNs provide safe, effective, quality care and play a significant role in promoting health and health care. Newhouse and her co-authors write that the results "could help address concerns about whether care provided by APRNs can safely augment the physician supply to support reform efforts aimed at expanding access to care."

Read the complete article on the Nursing Economic$ Web site. This article will appear in the print version of Nursing Economic$, September/October 2011 (Vol. 29, No. 5). Readers may access the article online now; they may also subscribe to Nursing Economic$.