Orthopaedic nursing: a study of its specialty status

This study attempts to clarify the distinction between orthopaedic and general nursing in response to criticism that orthopaedic nursing did not merit specialty status. The questionnaire survey asked nurses to assess a range of 76 nursing activities in terms of professional function. The results showed 36 out of the 76 activities were identified as 'highly orthopaedic'. The author emphasises that the holistic nature of nursing also applies to orthopaedic nursing and that this requires both generic and specialist skills. The implication for nurse education is that the necessary skills may need to be taught to a higher level to match a specialty status.