The challenge of developing a nurse-led burns clinic

Jacky Edwards is a Burns Clinical Nurse Specialist at Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester This article looks at the development of a nurse-led burns clinic. Changes in the NHS, such as reduced doctors’ hours, have meant that nurse-led clinics have risen ever higher on the political agenda. The increased quality of care and the professional development of the practitioners themselves, demonstrate that there is a need for these clinics, especially in specialised areas such as burns care. The clinics allow nurses to address all of the patient’s needs in one visit and although the clinics are run by teams of specialist nurses, they can call on any member of the multidisciplinary team, for example, a surgeon, if reconstruction is being considered.