An exploration of the services provided by the clinical nurse specialist within one NHS trust.

Objective: This study examines the services provided by clinical nurse specialists within one acute and community NHS Trust.

Background: The title 'clinical nurse specialist' (CNS) is used widely within health care services and describes a multitude of roles and service provision. Lack of role clarity impacts upon human resources, service delivery and the post holder.

Methods: Patients, carers and health care professionals were invited to participate in focus groups. Groups sought information about the services provided by the CNS. The research adopted a grounded theory approach in order to generate a locally recognizable description of the services.

Results: From the data analysis eight technical services carried out by the CNSs emerged. Analysis also identified three areas where the CNS provided added value. The findings are discussed in relation to relevant literature.

Conclusions: Recommendations are made concerning effective and efficient use of this important staff resource.