I feel the nursing profession should make a surge at the ambulatory care level to make an impact on outcomes and the manner in which the health care system is used. The literature seems to be inundated with illness care articles. Why not place more emphasis on an upstream approach by preventing or minimizing these incidents. Nurse practitioners in tandem with other nurses can definitely tackle health promotion and disease prevention in an independent role. Nurses can also contribute to cost containment for utilization of health care services by guiding health care consumers to the right service, at the right time, and with the right provider.

Check out a newly released book entitled, "Directed Care: Showcasing the Expertise of Professional Nurses in Ambulatory Primary Care," posted under Nursing News.