The clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner roles: room for both or take your pick?

OBJECTIVE The aim of this paper is to contribute to pertinent discussions regarding advanced practice nursing roles. In particular discussion will focus on the potential implications for the developing nurse ractitioner (NP) role on the existing clinical nurse specialist (CNS) roles. SETTING The literature presented originates primarily from the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom and Australia. Specific emphasis is placed on the psychiatric/mental health nursing context. PRIMARY ARGUMENT Amidst the confusion in terminology to describe and explain advanced, expanded or extended nursing roles, and to distinguish between the clinical nurse specialist and the nurse practitioner, there is a need to establish clarity. The need for both clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner roles has been hotly debated in the USA. CONCLUSIONS The roles of clinical nurse specialist and nurse practitioner may be complementary but fulfil different functions. It is therefore important that both roles be maintained and implemented in response to consumer and health service needs.