Professing a new discipline through a new chair in nursing development

Within the context of major change in health and social care, there is the need to reflect upon the position of the discipline of nursing and consider its future. Clinical governance, life-long learning and evidence-based practice will present new opportunities and challenges, which may mean the need to embrace a different clinical and academic future. The decision by two British National Health Service (NHS) Trusts (which manage their local health services) to sponsor a chair in nursing development at Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, England, to which I have been appointed, must be seen as a direct attempt from which such an opportunity can be embraced to create such a future.