The role of the urology clinical nurse specialist in the multidisciplinary team meeting

Multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) are increasingly the preferred method of cancer care in many specialties, including urology. MDTs provide a means of improving communication between health care professionals and patients and provide co-ordinated and timely care. As MDTs have developed, so too has the role of the specialist cancer nurse, though the concept of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS), or their involvement in the MDT are not globally universal. There is increasing evidence that the presence of the CNS in the MDT improves patient satisfaction and team effectiveness. The MDT meeting is the focal point for decision-making about patients' care, but the roles of health care professionals in the MDT meeting are variable and poorly defined. In this paper, we examine the evidence for the role of the CNS in the urology MDT meeting, which includes communicating with colleagues and patients, co-ordinating care, as well as facilitating research and clinical governance. We discuss the challenges faced by CNSs and how their role in MDT meetings can be strengthened to enhance their effectiveness in the MDT in general. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Urological Nursing © 2011 BAUN and Blackwell Publishing Ltd