Mini Doctors or Advanced Nurse Practitioners? Irish Endoscopy Nurses' Perceptions Regarding the Development of Advanced Practice in Endoscopy

Advanced nurse practitioners are frequently perceived as “mini doctors,” concerned more with the biomedical and technical aspects of healthcare than with the holistic, psychological elements. With an interest in advanced practice roles within the Irish context, a questionnaire designed to examine nurses' perceptions was administered to a convenience sample of 70 endoscopy nurses from six urban endoscopy departments. Findings indicate these nurses are generally positive in their attitudes, but they have concerns about the perceived increased vulnerability to litigation, exploitation, and fragmentation of their nursing role. On the basis of the findings of this study, a number of recommendations are made in relation to ensuring professional and educational support systems are in place for nurses as they develop their clinical practice.