The role of the nurse practitioner in a urology service.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the nurse practitioner in urology and to determine the impact on the work of junior doctors. METHODS: Written criteria were defined before the postholder was appointed and subsequent performance was assessed against these criteria. Training was provided and the quality of work was assessed by direct observation. Senior House Officers (SHOs) were asked whether the post had increased their opportunities to attend theatre, outpatients and post-graduate training sessions and had decreased the number of 'inappropriate' tasks they had to perform. RESULTS: The nurse practitioner accomplished all the tasks that were defined before the appointment. The assessment of patients in pre-admission and haematuria clinics was satisfactory. The continuity of information, care of patients and counselling for patients receiving complex surgery were improved. Sixty-three per cent of all patients seen in the pre-admission clinic and all patients in a haematuria clinic were assessed initially by the nurse practitioner. Because the nurse practitioner was involved in setting up intravenous drug administration and infusions, administrative tasks and in obtaining results from the laboratory, the number of 'inappropriate' tasks performed by the SHOs decreased and they were able to attend more sessions of training and education. CONCLUSIONS: The nurse practitioner in clinical urological practice constitutes an effective use of resources and relieves junior medical staff from other tasks, allowing them to receive a more focused training. In addition, the quality of patient care was thought to be improved in some areas. The framework of a job plan for a nurse practitioner is described.