Removal of foreign bodies from children's ears: a nurse-led clinic.

: This article presents an account of the rationale for and the introduction of a change in practice. The successful removal of foreign bodies from children's ears requires appropriate skills and experience. While traditionally a role for junior doctors, removal of foreign bodies from children's ears at the ear, nose and throat outpatient clinic at Birmingham Children's Hospital was associated with a low success rate. Therefore, it was proposed that an experienced advanced nurse practitioner would carry out this task in an attempt to improve patient outcomes. A database of outcomes was maintained and compared with those from a doctor-led clinic at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. The results highlight the benefits of nurse-led removal of foreign bodies from children's ears.