In this article, the author reflects on the nature of specialist and advanced nursing practice. He argues that the essence of nursing lies not in names and titles but in the way individuals approach daily practice

The stir caused by the UKCC’s interim report on the future of advanced nursing practice (Mathieson 1996) raised some interesting questions, particularly about nurses with the title ‘nurse practitioner’. The UKCC chose not to include nurse practitioners in its proposed criteria for advanced practice. However, nurse practitioners have been introduced in many areas, often to relieve the workload of doctors. Some people regard nurse practitioners as merely good nursing practice. Others, however, maintain that nurse practitioners work differently, in a more structured and rigorous manner. Is this, in fact, the case and should nurse practitioners be separately organised by their qualification?