The role of the clinical nurse co-ordinator in the provision of cost-effective orthopaedic services for elderly people.

Positions for nurses as coordinators and case managers have developed in response to demands for increased efficiency in the provision of hospital care. The Fractured Hip Management Programme in Western Sydney is one example of this development. The programme was introduced in response to mounting concern about the demands on hospital resources from elderly patients with hip fracture. A central feature of the programme is the pivotal role given to the nurse coordinator working within a multi-disciplinary team. This is not a new nursing role; rather it explicitly recognizes skills developed as part of the traditional nursing role. Evaluation of the programme found that patients received surgery sooner and spent less time in hospital, without adverse affects on outcome. The results show that recognition of the role of the nurse as patient advocate and care manager can lead to more cost-effective and higher-quality care.