Fine-Needle Aspiration Cytology : The Nurse ’ s Role

A literature search on the roles of nurses in health care yields evidence of a host of new functions and responsibilities. One topic heretofore not well documented is the nurse’s role in fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). FNAC refers to the aspiration of cell material from a mass or apparent lesion for diagnostic evaluation. It is a simple, accurate, fast, economical procedure that offers an alternative diagnostic modality to surgery. The success of a given FNAC procedure is greatly dependent upon the team of clinicians that performs it. Nurses are vital members of these teams. In this article, we offer a brief introduction to FNAC, with a particular focus on the roles and responsibilities that nurses assume in this diagnostic activity.