Nurse consultation support to primary care practices to increase delivery of health behavior services.

Tobacco use, lack of physical activity, poor diet, and alcohol use are the key preventable causes of death in the United States. This study tested the use of nurses as consultants to primary care practices to assist practice clinicians and staff in identifying and carrying out plans to help their adult patients improve these health behaviors. A pre-post chart audit was conducted, and 17 of 20 practices (85%, p = <.

Nurses as practice change facilitators for healthy behaviors.

This study used nurses as practice change consultants to help primary care medical practices improve their delivery of health behavior services to patients. Nurse consultants worked with 20 practices from 2 healthcare systems. In each practice, the nurses helped clinicians and staff to develop a practice-specific protocol so that they could identify and intervene with the health behavior of their patients.