Informal education: a hidden element of clinical nurse consultant practice

A survey was conducted to investigate the amount of informal education provided by 16 community-based clinical nurse consultants (CNCs) in Sydney, Australia. The survey results indicated that the CNCs spent a substantial amount of time in informal teaching, of which only 3% was recorded as a legitimate educational activity. Findings from the survey support what has been reported in the literature, that skilled knowledge can be gained in the workplace when learners interact with experts. Through the avenue of informal teaching CNCs can positively contribute to quality nursing care by addressing on-the-job learning needs of community nurses.