Being an effective nurse consultant in the English National Health Service : what does it take? A study of consultants specializing in safeguarding

Franks, H; Howarth, M

Abstract

Aims

This study established key attributes and perceived strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) of nurse consultants specialising in safeguarding children.


Background

The nurse consultant role in England spans four domains: clinical, leadership, education and research and was intended to enable senior nurses to remain in clinical practice.


Method

Data identifying the time spent by the nurse consultants in the four domains was collated and a thematic content analysis of the SWOT of the role was ascertained from semi-structured interviews with nurse consultants (n=4) and stakeholders (n=6).


Results

Strengths and opportunities in clinical consultancy), leadership and educational functions were identified but also some weaknesses and threats in terms of nurse consultant’s contributions to research. The role was neither wholly strategic nor clinical. Role ambiguity meant that they were not always valued by managers making the role potentially expendable.


Conclusions

Nurse consultants are pivotal within healthcare organisations because they span clinical practice and leadership enabling them to support managers in strategic planning, commissioning and implementation of policy.

Implications for Nursing Management

Nurse consultants can support strategic practice development and influence quality and effectiveness service-wide. To succeed they must be understood, supported and nurtured by managers.


Key words

Nurse consultant, nurse management

Citation

Franks, H., & Howarth, M. (2012). Being an effective nurse consultant in the English National Health Service : what does it take? A study of consultants specializing in safeguarding. Journal of Nursing Management, 20(7), 847-857. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2834.2012.01353.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 3, 2011
• Online Publication Date: Mar 10, 2012
• Publication Date: Mar 10, 2012
• Deposit Date: Oct 25, 2011
• Journal: Journal Of Nursing Management
• Print ISSN: 0966-0429
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 20
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 847-857
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2834.2012.01353.x
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2834.2012.01353.x
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2834