Protocol for acute and chronic sinusitis.

Formal protocols for nurse practitioners are mandated by many states. Protocols are of two types--process-oriented, which describe the steps used in treating patients, and disease-oriented, which define disease, explain etiology, and describe the plan of care, among other things. The sinus protocol outlined in this article is used in the UCLA student health service. It is disease oriented and focuses on college students, but it can also be adapted to use in a different setting.