CNS's Role in future in the UK

[paris2]

Other day we were having dicussion and I was just trying to get some opinion on how we see CNS's Role in future in the UK, for e.g what else can we take on that is presently done by the junior doctors, bearing in my that we are nurses and whatever we take on is in the best interest of patients.

My head was bitten by someone saying that I was trying negate CNS's roles to that of doctor, and I was trying fool myself into thinking that I know more than I do, and i was trying to say that we push out future doctors develop, and i was saying that we are not complimentary with each other.

This was not true as i said that all i was doing was trying to find out how we see CNS's Role in future in the UK and what else can we take on that is presently done by the junior doctors.

I don't see why we can't have a sensible debate on it.

[RGN1]

I think that with the reduction in junior doctors hours, like it or not, the role of the nurse across the board (not just for the CNS) will expand.

Already the average ward nurse does heaps more than when I 1st qualified. Now I take blood, cannulate, give IV's etc - all these were expanded roles only done by the most senior nurses when I was newly qualified. I can only see the boundaries becoming more fuzzy as time goes on. I'm not saying it's a good or a bad thing but I think it will happen.

The trouble is we are still expected to do all the other things we always used to as well, which means more & more stress because there simply isn't the time for it all or the staff numbers to support it properly. A doc can come in cannulate & go but we have to fit it around the washes, cleaning, drugs, dressings, etc etc etc. So there will have to be a serious look at the role & the support of the nurse before we all collapse under the strain!!