Patient Classification in Ambulatory Care.

Patient classification according to nursing care requirements is routine in inpatient settings. When a monograph from the Division of Nursing was published, little information was included about patient classification in community health settings, such as ambulatory care. Since 1978, some work on classification for outpatient areas has been done, but not to the extent of the work in inpatient settings that established standards for classification instruments. Although the terms patient classification instrument and patient classification system appear similar, they are not meant to be used interchangeably. A patient classification instrument is a tool to identify nursing care requirements of patients in a specific setting. A patient classification system is the full program for identifying the number and type of staff needed to meet the care requirements of clients.