The consultant nurse - expert practitioner and much more

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Advanced Practice

Background:

• The consultant nurse (CN) role is typically defined by four domains: clinical practice, education, leadership, and research.
• Existing descriptions may not fully capture the complexity and diversity of contemporary CN roles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explicate the diversity and complexity of CN roles within a National Health Service (NHS) trust.
• To describe aspects of extraordinary practice exhibited by CNs.
• To identify perceived differences between the CN role and other advanced practice roles.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving six CNs who wrote accounts of their practice.
• Concept mapping was used to analyze these accounts and identify extraordinary practice.

Main Results:

• Four key themes emerged: entrepreneurial activity and innovation, clinical autonomy and role dynamism, influential national/international research, and cross-disciplinary consultancy/education.
• CNs demonstrated higher-order skills exceeding typical expert or advanced practice requirements.
• Differences between CN roles and other advanced practice roles were identified.

Conclusions:

• The consultant nurse role encompasses a unique and complex set of skills, often exceeding traditional advanced practice definitions.
• Understanding these distinctions is crucial for the sustainability and development of advanced nursing roles within healthcare systems.