What does an ambulatory care nurse do?
An ambulatory care nurse is a registered nurse who cares for patients outside the hospital bed: in clinics, doctors’ offices, surgery centers and urgent care. Visits usually last under a day, so the work is about assessment, teaching and coordination.
The work
Triage by phone and in person, vaccinations and injections, preparing patients for procedures, patient teaching and follow-up. Hours are often regular daytime hours, which is a common reason nurses move into outpatient care.
Training and certification
An RN license and, for many clinics, a year of experience. The American Nurses Credentialing Center offers an ambulatory care nursing certification, and it is voluntary.
Why the setting matters
Care is shifting away from hospital stays. The median RN earned $97,550 in May 2025 and the BLS projects 5.6% growth in RN jobs from 2025 to 2035. The federal data does not isolate ambulatory nurses.
Pay and projections: Bureau of Labor Statistics. NCLEX figures: NCSBN. Enrollment: AACN. Sources and years are ondata sources.