Night nurse practitioners are not 'mini-doctors'.
Nurse practitioner programmes should be negotiated between service and education. The contribution of experienced course participants should be valued through adult-centred learning strategies. The programme leader should be experienced in facilitation and have credible clinical experience; he/she will utilize the expertise of appropriately skilled lecturers. Clinical skills must be set within the context of professional accountability and within the principles of professional practice (UKCC). Assessment of practice leads to competence and theory assessments to credit rating and APL/APEL. Role development is concerned with understanding accountability and not with accepting junior doctor's tasks.