title: The role of the clinical nurse specialist in MS: a literature review.
abstract: The purpose of this review was to determine the role of nurse specialists in multiple sclerosis (NSMS) in providing care for carers of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). The databases searched from inception to April 2010 include: CINAHL, PsycINFO, British Nursing Index, PubMed, AMED, Nursing and Allied Health Source, Academic Search Complete, Cochrane Library Database, Web of Knowledge, Ovid Nursing Database, Social Science Index, and Joanna Briggs Institute. Eighteen articles were included in the review. However, only three research-based articles were found that evaluated the role of the NSMS. The remaining articles were discussion-based and provided insight into the contribution of the NSMS to service provision. The review highlights the continuing lack of research evaluating the impact of the role of the nurse specialist in multiple sclerosis and in particular, the lack of recognition of the support role that nurse specialists provide for carers of PwMS.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing and Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin.
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corry
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKenna
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Duggan
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D013041:Specialties, Nursing