Advanced nursing practice: experience, education and something else

The purpose of this paper is to stimulate discussion and debate about the 'concept' of 'advanced practice' and the wider issue of 'advancing' nursing practice. Defining, credentialling and regulating advanced practice promises rich fruits for nursing. Advancing nursing practice will be a consequence only if the right conditions are fostered for the development and provision of nursing expertise in practice. A conscious and collective effort must be made to ensure that the expertise of all nurses is recognised and developed. One process which has shown promise in psychiatric and mental health nursing is 'clinical supervision'. Evolving nursing leadership roles and more education can provide only a partial solution to the problem of advanced and advancing practice.