The establishment of a nurse consultant role in paediatric intensive care: a reflective analysis.

Through a review of literature and research, together with reflection on clinical practice, this article reflectively analyses and evaluates the concept of the establishment and development of a nurse consultant post in paediatric intensive care. Manley's (1997) conceptual framework is used as a structure for the reflection, which has enabled a detailed and logical approach and allowed both reflection and analysis of the role in relation to the speciality. It is evident that nurse consultant posts have been developed in a variety of clinical specialities and are providing a real opportunity to improve patient care, progress nursing as a profession and provide a clinical career framework for nurses. The concept of the nurse consultant in paediatric intensive care is both innovative and strategic: Manley has identified many sub-roles, skills and processes necessary to influence and develop the role. The elements of 'transformational leadership', 'change agent' and 'collaborator' identified by Manley appear to hold the key to the ability to influence and develop paediatric intensive care nursing from a practice perspective.