A lesson from the UK?

Increased patient waiting times is prevalent in Australian emergency departments (EDs). Initiatives such as multidisciplinary triage and increased senior medical clinical presence have been proposed to help address the problem. One suggestion is to follow the footsteps of the United Kingdom (UK) with the introduction of an emergency nurse practitioner (ENP) role. This paper reviews the history and development of ENPs in the UK and addresses the controversies and potential benefits associated with the introduction of such a role into Australian EDs.