New way to recognise advanced skills.

The RCN is introducing a credential that will recognise the level of expertise and skill of advanced-level nurses.

Setting up a nurse practitioner service.

In this article the authors argue that nurse practitioners must undergo a formal course of education that teaches them to be politically and professionally aware, clinically competent, develops their interpersonal skills and enables them to attain the confidence to express their views and needs. This, together with their skills of assessment and diagnosis, makes nurse practitioners marketable members of the healthcare team.