Alison Cowley and colleagues explain why advanced nurse practitioners are valued members of acute healthcare teams in older people’s wards

The aim of the service evaluation presented in this article was to explore the multidisciplinary team’s (MDT) experiences and perception of the advanced nurse practitioner (ANP) role on an acute health care of the older person ward. A qualitative case study was carried out comprising semi-structured interviews with members of the MDT, exploring their experiences of the ANP role. An overarching theme of ‘Is it a nurse? Is it a doctor? No, it’s an ANP’ emerged from the data, with three subthemes: the missing link; facilitating and leading holistic care; and safe, high quality care. The ANP role is valued by the MDT working with them and provides a unique skill set that has the potential to enhance care of older patients living with frailty. While there are challenges to its introduction, it is a role worth introducing to older people’s wards.