An Evaluation of Clinical Nurse and Midwife Specialist and Advanced Nurse and Midwife Practitioner Roles in Ireland (SCAPE)
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2010Author:
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Begley C, Murphy K, Higgins A, Elliott N, Lalor J, Sheerin F, Coyne I, Comiskey C, Normand C, Casey C, Dowling M, Devane D, Cooney A, Farrelly F, Brennan M, Meskell P, MacNeela P., An Evaluation of Clinical Nurse and Midwife Specialist and Advanced Nurse and Midwife Practitioner Roles in Ireland (SCAPE), Dublin, National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery in Ireland, December, 2010, 1-467Download Item:
SCAPE_Final_Report_13th_May.pdf (Published (publisher's copy)) 9.308Mb
Abstract:
The Irish health system has moved towards a population health approach for the provision of health services
and healthcare. Changing models of care delivery in tandem with the changing demographic and
epidemiological profile of the population will signal the service requirements into the future. The Irish health
service is driven by policy direction aiming to provide more services within primary, community and continuing
care. The nursing and midwifery professions in Ireland have undergone significant change over the past
decade, particularly in relation to the clinical role and responsibilities of nurses and midwives in order to
provide responsive care delivery. Patient safety and risk controls necessitate on-going clinical audit, utilization
of evidence-based practice, adherence to clinical guidelines, introduction of care pathways and peer review.
The Report of the Commission on Nursing
(Government of Ireland 1998) was the catalyst for the introduction
of a clinical career pathway that would encompass progression from staff nurse or staff midwife to clinical
nurse or midwife specialist to advanced nurse or midwife practitioner. The creation and development of this
clinical career pathway has taken place against a background of health service reform, an integrated approach
to health policy and service model implementation, and development of pre- and post-registration education
and training programmes within the higher education sector and in local and regional centres of nurse and
midwife education.
To this end the National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery commissioned a
joint research team from the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin and the National
University of Ireland, Galway through an open tender process to evaluate the role of the Clinical Nurse/Midwife
Specialist and Advanced Nurse/Midwife Practitioner, focusing on the clinical and economic impact of the roles.
This study, through extensive research methods, utilising a variety of data collection tools, has examined the
clinical outcomes of clinical specialists and advanced practitioners in Ireland. This study has demonstrated
conclusively that care provided by clinical specialists and advanced practitioners improves patient/client
outcomes, is safe, acceptable and cost-neutral. Nursing and midwifery care is provided in a complex changing
environment and it is critically important that resources are utilised in a cost-effective, strategic manner. The
study shows the potential of clinical specialists and advanced practitioners to support implementation of
health policy, meet the changing health needs of the population, address patient expectations, contribute to
service reconfiguration and provide nursing and midwifery leadership for the introduction of care models and
care programmes into the HSE and, potentially, other health services. Clinical specialists and advanced
practitioners support a safe environment for patients by increasing the use of evidence-based clinical
guidelines. Their overall positive effect on patient/client care, other staff and the health services in general is
very apparent. Given these considerable benefits, and the fact that the economic analysis did not demonstrate
a difference in costs between services with clinical specialists/advanced practitioners and the comparison sites,
there is a strong case for introducing more clinical specialists and advanced practitioners.
This Final Report and a Summary Report are available to download from our website: www.ncnm.ie
I would like to thank the research teams led by Professor Cecily Begley from the School of Nursing and
Midwifery, Trinity College, Dublin and Professor Kathy Murphy from the School of Nursing and Midwifery,
National University of Ireland, Galway for their profes
sionalism, hard work and dedication to the project. I
would like to thank the Steering Committee, Valerie Small, Aveen Murray, Mary Duff and Professor Sally
Redfern for their expert advice and support. Finally I would like to thank my colleagues Dr Kathleen Mac
Lellan, Head of Professional Development, Dr Sarah Condell, Research Development Officer and Mary Farrelly,
Professional Development Officer who continuously supported this project.
Author's Homepage:
http://people.tcd.ie/cbegleyhttp://people.tcd.ie/sheerinf
http://people.tcd.ie/ahiggins
http://people.tcd.ie/coynei
http://people.tcd.ie/lalorj1
http://people.tcd.ie/ccomiske
http://people.tcd.ie/elliotn
Description:
PUBLISHEDDublin
Author: COYNE, IMELDA; BEGLEY, CECILY; COMISKEY, CATHERINE; HIGGINS, AGNES; LALOR, JOAN; ELLIOTT, NAOMI; SHEERIN, FINTAN
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National Council for the Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery in IrelandType of material:
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