Using an outside consultant for staff development.

Abstract

In this article the author describes the use of a nurse educator/clinical nurse specialist as an outside consultant to provide a program to educate staff nurses about oncology patient care. The continuing education program included a didactic and clinical practicum. The program provided nurses with specialized knowledge about an expanding patient population, improved the level of oncology patient care, and increased the confidence of the physicians and community members in the level of oncology nursing care.