Nurses as Consultants: Essential Concepts and Processes

The role of consultation within nursing had been primary linked with the multifaceted aspects of the "work" of the clinic nurse specialists. Other advanced practice nurses (APNs) such as nurse practitioners (NPs) traditionally have not been regarded as experts in this matter, even given the identification of a consultant competency by Fenton and Byrkczynski (l993). Indeed, the consultation process was most closely linked in this seminal work to "consultation to physicians and other professional staff on patient management" (p. 321) with a notation that NPs were not usually expected to play a major role in the consultative process. With the advancement of the professionalism of nursing and burgeoning opportunities for expansion of practice, consultation as a nursing process has the potential to take its rightful place among the other established domains of the APNs. Yet, no text existed that established a nursing framework for this process; nor was there a text written that provided the foundation of the specific body of nursing knowledge required to translate "consultation" from a theoretical abstract into working reality. Thus, in recognition of this rather amazing void in nursing education, Norwood drew on her extensive experience as a nurse clinician researcher, educator, and consultant to create a "nouvelle ouvre"-the first of its kind in nursing literature. The text is well planned out-beginning with the more theoretical aspects and culminating in chapters on consultation in action. Moreover, the entire text is sprinkled with illustrative exemplars and scenarios of theory in practice drawn for the most part from real life situations. In addition, one of the book's greatest merits is the encouragement of critical thinking and analysis of chapter content by providing thought-provoking questions at the beginning of each chapter and by the provision of concrete suggestions for application of content at each chapter's end. Furthermore, boxed summaries are used liberally and judiciously to highlight major concepts, themes, and constructs. A review of the contents of this wealth of information can only be briefly summarized. The first two chapters of the first section of the book focus on the nature of nursing consultation and introduce an overview of the process of nursing consultation. Chapter 3 and 4 carefully delineate the types of interaction patterns to be found in the problem solving process and expand on nurse consultant roles and prerequisite competencies. The next section addresses the importance of understanding organization structure and behaviors and structure, group dynamics and the dynamics of change-both mechanical and emotional. Section three and its 5 chapters detail each phase of the process from gaining entry and problem identification to action planning, evaluation and disengagements. Again, Norwood makes a conscientious effort to emphasize potential pitfalls and s

Ms. Norwood covers every detail that one can imagine for beginners entering the field of consulting. Her vision of the consultive role, change agency, organizational climates, challenges, suggestions, supports, business forms and more are all contained in this volume. This book is a must have reference book for anyone that ventures outside of the traditional institutional settings for their professional nursing careers.