THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF AN ADVANCED-NURSE-PRACTITIONER IN DEMENTIA - AN ACTION RESEARCH-PROJECT

This action research project developed a new role of Advanced Nurse Pr actitioner (ANP) in dementia from first principles in response to the needs and requirements of the healthcare professionals already working in the service. In Phase 1 of the project, 42 workers were interviewe d to determine their needs, hopes and fears of the role, From which a preliminary job description was constructed. In Phase 2, this role was implemented and continuously modified through regular reflective inte rviews with the ANP, resulting in some major changes to the original j ob description. In the final phase, the impact of the role was evaluat ed through interviews with patients who had used the new service, and questionnaires to the healthcare workers interviewed in Phase 1. The r ole that emerged from the project was therefore grounded in practice a nd proved to be an attractive proposition to the local healthcare trus t. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.