Primary care · 2018
Nurses as substitutes for doctors in primary care
A Cochrane review of 18 trials: care from nurses probably gives similar or better health outcomes than care from doctors, and patients are probably slightly more satisfied.
Laurant et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018 →South Africa · 2012
Nurse-started HIV treatment in 31 clinics
Across 31 South African primary care clinics and more than 15,000 patients, trained and supported nurses started HIV treatment with survival and viral suppression no worse than when doctors did.
Fairall et al., The Lancet, 2012 →South Africa · 2010
Nurse-monitored HIV care in Soweto and Cape Town
In a randomised trial of 812 patients, HIV treatment monitored by nurses was shown to be non-inferior to treatment monitored by doctors.
Sanne et al., The Lancet, 2010 →Africa · 2014
Shifting HIV care from doctors to nurses
A Cochrane review of ten African studies: moving care to adequately trained and supported nurses probably does not lower its quality, and care closer to home cut patients' travel costs.
Kredo et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014 →South Africa · 2005
Training nurses finds more tuberculosis
In Free State clinics, short educational outreach to nurses using a guideline-based approach found more cases of tuberculosis, without extra staff.
Fairall et al., BMJ, 2005 →Primary care · 2014
Nurse-led care: higher satisfaction, fewer admissions
A meta-analysis of randomised trials found higher patient satisfaction with nurse-led care, and fewer hospital admissions and deaths, though the effect was weaker in the highest-quality trials.
Martínez-González et al., BMC Health Services Research, 2014 →Primary care · 2002
Nurse practitioners and doctors: equivalent care
A BMJ review of 34 studies found no difference in patients' health, and patients were more satisfied with nurse practitioners, who gave longer consultations.
Horrocks et al., BMJ, 2002 →Primary care · 2015
Quality of primary care by advanced practice nurses
Seven randomised trials with 10,911 patients found few differences between nurses and doctors, and nurse care was better on some measures, such as blood pressure.
Swan et al., International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2015 →Randomised trial · 2000
1,316 patients, randomised to a nurse or a doctor
Six months later their health was no different, results for diabetes and asthma were similar, and people with high blood pressure seen by nurses had slightly lower readings.
Mundinger et al., JAMA, 2000 →Blood pressure · 2010
Nurse-led hypertension care works best with an algorithm
When nurses followed a stepped treatment algorithm, systolic blood pressure fell 8.2 mmHg more than with usual care. The authors conclude nurse-led care needs an algorithm to structure it. PRIME is that structure.
Clark et al., BMJ, 2010 →Decision support · 2020
Clinical decision support improves care
Across 122 trials and more than 1.2 million patients, computer decision support increased the share of patients getting the recommended care, with small to moderate gains.
Kwan et al., BMJ, 2020 →Diagnosis · 2014
1 in 20 adults
Even in well-resourced health systems, about 1 in 20 adults experiences a diagnostic error in outpatient care each year. A structured history and a ranked differential are how PRIME guards against it.
Singh et al., BMJ Quality & Safety, 2014 →Workforce · 2025
29.8 million nurses worldwide
The World Health Organization counts about 29.8 million nurses worldwide, but they are unevenly spread: most work in countries holding under half the world's population.
World Health Organization, State of the world's nursing 2025 →Primary care · 2018
Nurses as substitutes for doctors in primary care
A Cochrane review of 18 trials: care from nurses probably gives similar or better health outcomes than care from doctors, and patients are probably slightly more satisfied.
Laurant et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018 →South Africa · 2012
Nurse-started HIV treatment in 31 clinics
Across 31 South African primary care clinics and more than 15,000 patients, trained and supported nurses started HIV treatment with survival and viral suppression no worse than when doctors did.
Fairall et al., The Lancet, 2012 →South Africa · 2010
Nurse-monitored HIV care in Soweto and Cape Town
In a randomised trial of 812 patients, HIV treatment monitored by nurses was shown to be non-inferior to treatment monitored by doctors.
Sanne et al., The Lancet, 2010 →Africa · 2014
Shifting HIV care from doctors to nurses
A Cochrane review of ten African studies: moving care to adequately trained and supported nurses probably does not lower its quality, and care closer to home cut patients' travel costs.
Kredo et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014 →South Africa · 2005
Training nurses finds more tuberculosis
In Free State clinics, short educational outreach to nurses using a guideline-based approach found more cases of tuberculosis, without extra staff.
Fairall et al., BMJ, 2005 →Primary care · 2014
Nurse-led care: higher satisfaction, fewer admissions
A meta-analysis of randomised trials found higher patient satisfaction with nurse-led care, and fewer hospital admissions and deaths, though the effect was weaker in the highest-quality trials.
Martínez-González et al., BMC Health Services Research, 2014 →Primary care · 2002
Nurse practitioners and doctors: equivalent care
A BMJ review of 34 studies found no difference in patients' health, and patients were more satisfied with nurse practitioners, who gave longer consultations.
Horrocks et al., BMJ, 2002 →Primary care · 2015
Quality of primary care by advanced practice nurses
Seven randomised trials with 10,911 patients found few differences between nurses and doctors, and nurse care was better on some measures, such as blood pressure.
Swan et al., International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 2015 →Randomised trial · 2000
1,316 patients, randomised to a nurse or a doctor
Six months later their health was no different, results for diabetes and asthma were similar, and people with high blood pressure seen by nurses had slightly lower readings.
Mundinger et al., JAMA, 2000 →Blood pressure · 2010
Nurse-led hypertension care works best with an algorithm
When nurses followed a stepped treatment algorithm, systolic blood pressure fell 8.2 mmHg more than with usual care. The authors conclude nurse-led care needs an algorithm to structure it. PRIME is that structure.
Clark et al., BMJ, 2010 →Decision support · 2020
Clinical decision support improves care
Across 122 trials and more than 1.2 million patients, computer decision support increased the share of patients getting the recommended care, with small to moderate gains.
Kwan et al., BMJ, 2020 →Diagnosis · 2014
1 in 20 adults
Even in well-resourced health systems, about 1 in 20 adults experiences a diagnostic error in outpatient care each year. A structured history and a ranked differential are how PRIME guards against it.
Singh et al., BMJ Quality & Safety, 2014 →Workforce · 2025
29.8 million nurses worldwide
The World Health Organization counts about 29.8 million nurses worldwide, but they are unevenly spread: most work in countries holding under half the world's population.
World Health Organization, State of the world's nursing 2025 →
