Adaptation of the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care to Critical Care Transport

Today’s health care delivery system relies heavily on interhospital transfer of patients who require higher levels of care. Although numerous tools and algorithms have been used for the prehospital determination of mode of transport, no tool for the transfer of patients between hospitals has been widely accepted. Typically, the interfacility transport decision is left to the discretion of the referring provider, who may or may not be aware of the level of care provided or the means of transport available. A need exists to determine the appropriate level of care required to meet the needs of patients during transport. The American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Synergy Model for Patient Care is a patient-centered model that focuses on optimizing patient care by matching the characteristics of the patient with the competencies of the nurse. This model shows significant promise in providing the theoretical backing to guide the decision on the level of care necessary to complete interfacility transfers safely and effectively. This article describes a new tool inspired by the AACN Synergy Model for Patient Care to determine the appropriate level of care required for interfacility transport.