Background: Redesigning the cardiothoracic workforce at one teaching hospital to meet government targets and changing patient needs has led to the introduction of several new healthcare roles including that of nurse practitioner. Methodology: Nurse practitioners at one tertiary care centre were interviewed using a semi-structured process. The interviews were used to gain insight into the nurses’ roles. Findings: This article reports the results of a qualitative evaluation into nurse practitioners’ perspectives on this new way of working. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with eight nurse practitioners revealed five themes: professional development; making a difference; support; frustration of working in an evolving role; and uncertainty. Implications: The findingsindicate that the nurse practitioner role can provide a rewarding career in which nurses can develop in a clinically oriented profession. Conclusions: Contact with patients throughout their continuum of care can enhance job satisfaction and is likely to produce long-term benefits for cardiothoracic patients. As the boundaries of medicine and nursing, and the associated professional identities become less defined, the need for continual evaluation that does not neglect practitioner perspectives is apparent.