Abstract: Objective: To explore the role expectation of visiting nurses in Critical Care Outreach Services from multiple perspectives. Methods: The phenomenological research method in qualitative research was adopted. The purpose sampling and snowball sampling were combined to conduct in-depth interviews with all stakeholders involved in Critical Care Outreach Services in a tertiary hospital in Qingdao, including visiting nurses, ward nurses, ICU doctors, ward doctors, managers, patients and caregivers. The interview data were analyzed by Colaizzi phenomenological data analysis method and Nvivo 12.0 coding software. Results: The role expectation of the nurses in Critical Care Outreach Services mainly focused on six roles: nursing practitioners, team liaison, case managers, training providers, health educators and service providers. Conclusion: The role of Critical Care Outreach Services visiting nurses is centered on the role of nursing practitioners, and other roles are focused and adjusted according to the actual service content of patients. Visiting nurses should be proactive in enhancing their professionalism and improving their professional competence to promote continuous improvement in the quality of nursing services for patients transferred out of the ICU.

Key words: Critical Care Outreach Services; nurse; role expectation; qualitative research