The role of the clinical nurse specialist in managing vestibular schwannoma.

A diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma can have a significant impact on a patient. The effect of living with long-term symptoms and the prospect of treatment can lead to an array of functional and psychologic issues. Access to disease-specific specialists is a necessity for patients and health-care professionals in order to inform and educate. Coordination of care, prompt management of symptoms, and appropriate information are required to drive quality care, reduce costs, and minimize associated morbidity. The role of the clinical nurse specialist is key in elevating standards of care and maintaining continuity. Well recognized in other, more common diseases, the dedicated clinical nurse specialist role in skull base has only more recently been established. Their body of disease-specific knowledge ideally places them to navigate the patient pathway, reducing variation in care and offering timely access through nurse-led clinics. The nursing role in both sporadic and NF2-related schwannomatosis vestibular schwannoma is highlighted in this chapter.