Clinical nurse specialists are defined as ‘registered nurses holding a master’s degree in nursing and having expertise in a clinical nursing specialty who promote excellence in nursing practice. They serve as role models and advocates for nurses by providing leadership in their roles as clinicians, researchers, consultants and educators. They assist in providing solutions for complex healthcare issues, and are leaders in the development of clinical guidelines and promoting the use of evidence and facilitating system change.’(2) Nurse practitioners are ‘registered nurses with additional educational preparation and experience who possess and demonstrate the competencies to autonomously diagnose, order and interpret diagnostic tests, prescribe pharmaceuticals and perform specific procedures within their legislated scope of practice.’(3) In contrast to clinical nurse specialists, who typically spend less time in direct patient care and more time in the support of clinical excellence, nurse practitioners typically spend the majority of their time in the delivery of direct patient care (often to enable specialists to reach greater numbers of patients and/or to provide follow-up care more efficiently).