Clinical initiative nurses and nurse practitioners in the emergency department: What's in a name?

Cashin, Andrew; Waters, Cheryl D.; O’Connell, Jane; Christofis, Luke; Lentakis, Anne; Rossi, Monica; Crellin, Dianne

doi:10.1016/j.aenj.2007.02.001

« Previous Next »Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal
Volume 10, Issue 2 , Pages 73-79, May 2007

Clinical initiative nurses and nurse practitioners in the emergency department: What's in a name?

Andrew Cashin, RN, NP, PhD, Dip App Sci(Nurs.), BHSc(Nurs.), Grad Cert PTT, MN
- Faculty Nursing Midwifery and Health, UTS, NSW, Australia
- Justice Health, NSW, Australia
- Corresponding author at: Faculty Nursing Midwifery and Health, UTS, NSW, Australia. Tel.: +61 2 83723001; fax: +61 2 93444151.
Cheryl D. Waters, RN, PhD
- Faculty Nursing Midwifery and Health, UTS, NSW, Australia
Jane O’Connell, RN, NP, Grad Cert EmgNsg, MN
- Emergency Department, Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital, NSW, Australia
Luke Christofis, RN, NP, BN, Grad Cert EmgNsg, MNP (Emg)
- Emergency Department, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA, Australia
Anne Lentakis, RN, NP, BN, Grad Cert EmgNsg, MNP (Emg)
- Emergency Department, Lyell McEwin Hospital, SA, Australia
Monica Rossi, RN, BN, Grad Cert Emerg Nur, MN
- Emergency Department, Mt Druitt Hospital, NSW, Australia
Dianne Crellin, RN, BN, Cert Emerg, Grad Dip Paed, MN
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Vic., Australia

Received 20 December 2006; received in revised form 5 February 2007; accepted 11 February 2007.

Summary

Background

The clinical initiative nurse in the emergency department is a role that is gaining traction nationally. For many, confusion exists related to the perceived similarities with the role of the emergency nurse practitioner and how to differentiate the clinical initiative nurse role from that of the nurse practitioner.

Method

A review of available literature related to the development of the clinical initiative nurse role in Australia was undertaken. The available literature was scant in this service-driven model and literature from a variety of sources was drawn upon.

Results

It would appear that the clinical initiative nurse role is valuable in reducing time to be seen key performance indicator, however, this is based on anecdotal evidence. It is clear that the nurse practitioner role better equips nurses to meet key performance indicators overall, leading to improved quality of service in the emergency department.

Conclusions

Preparation for the clinical initiative nurse role is not regulated and varies widely based on the service in which the role is performed as opposed to the nurse practitioner role. The title of nurse practitioner is protected under legislation and regulated by the state nursing regularity bodies, except in Tasmania, which currently does not have the legislation to do this. The ability of the nurse practitioner to follow through care inclusive of discharge is far more effective than a role aimed at and capable of only initiation of treatment.

Keywords: Clinical initiative nurse, Nurse practitioner, Advanced practice nurse, Emergency department