THE EVOLVING ROLE OF THE CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST WITHIN THE COMPREHENSIVE BREAST-CANCER CENTER

The collaborative functioning of a specialist multidisciplinary team i s a fundamental prerequisite in the establishment of designated breast cancer units throughout the UK. It is, therefore, opportune for clini cal nurse specialists to examine carefully their unique contribution t o the care of women with breast disease. This article explores the con temporary developments in service provision and identifies potential a reas for nursing development. It is only when the role of the breast c are nurse is explicitly defined can research begin to determine the ef fectiveness of nursing practice in terms of women's health.