title: Mental health nurse practitioner: expanded or advanced?
abstract: The role of the nurse practitioner has been described as the apex of nursing practice. Such a statement has significant implications for the professional status of nursing in its own right. The aim of this paper is to discuss the nature of the nurse practitioner role in Australia and the importance of distinguishing between advanced and expanded practice. Evaluations of the nurse practitioner role suggest that specifically nursing contributions lead to a high level of consumer satisfaction. If nursing in general, and mental health nursing in particular, is to maintain and further develop their professional status, debate about the implications of the nurse practitioner role, and the terminology used to describe its scope, is crucial.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Psychiatric Nursing Research and Practice, School of Nursing, University of Melbourne, Carlton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elsom
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Happell
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Manias
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D009722:Nurse Practitioners / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*