Impact of The Patient's Charter on A&E departments. 2: The emergency nurse practitioner.

This article is the second of a two-part study based upon the results of a national survey of senior nurses in accident and emergency (A&E) departments. It explores the development of the nurse practitioner role in A&E. In particular, the extent to which this expanded role has become a means by which patients with minor injuries can be 'fast-tracked', to the possible detriment of more holistic goals for care delivery.