title: Editorial.
abstract: The issue of nurse specialism is back on the agenda, although to be polite about it, the old chestnut can be traced back to Miss Nightingale's correspondence. Current concern arises from the different experiences that organisations have had with the creation of nurse consultant posts. Some have reported them to be roaring successes, though often without offering any specific outcomes that can be assessed or replicated. Some are more reserved but see them as a way of keeping able practitioners in their organisation. And some are asking, are they really worth it?