An alternative to link nurses: sharing specialist skills in colorectal care.

This article describes a change in nursing practice to encourage the dissemination of specialist nursing skills within general nursing practice. This change was developed by the colorectal specialist nurse and supported by the stoma care specialist nurse to improve patient care in a busy surgical ward with a focus on colorectal disease. An in-service teaching programme based on the colorectal patients' journey of care from diagnosis to follow up was developed. The programme was structured to improve the general surgical staff nurses' knowledge and understanding of colorectal disease and the individual treatments administered, with an emphasis on the service provided locally. The programme aimed to develop staff nurses' communication skills and their understanding of disease pathways. It highlighted specific key roles within these pathways by allowing staff nurses to spend time in different hospital departments. In turn, it was hoped this would improve communication between departments and, ultimately, improve the patient journey of care and support.