Advancing the role of minor surgery for nurses.

This article describes the development of the nurse specialist role in an ophthalmology setting. The nurse specialist was trained to carry out incision and curettage of chalazion - a firm, usually non-tender, localized nodule under the pretarsal skin. The aim of the nurse-led chalazion service is to provide prompt, high quality care to patients during their surgical episode, while offering job satisfaction to the nurse. The article outlines the training involved and the outcome of an audit conducted of the service. Risk management procedures and the benefits of the advances to the nursing role, to patients and to the nursing professional are explained.