Table 1.

Description of intervention in single exploratory case study

Abbreviated name for trial	Aim of trial	Setting and wider context	Nature of intervention	Nature of control intervention(s)
Phase 1: Single exploratory case
Aim: To identify potential variables of complexity for and to establish theoretical propositions that could be tested in phase 2
NLED	To evaluate the impact of a specialist nurse-led model of early discharge following breast cancer surgery on patients, carers and the health service, whilst developing collaborative care pathways that enable a smooth transition between acute and primary care	NHS teaching hospital/cancer centre on two sites (one large university hospital, one smaller district general hospital), with a large geographical catchment area encompassing urban, rural, affluent and deprived communities in North East/ Central Scotland	Nurse-led early discharge - going home with wound drains still in situ, one or two days after surgery, with a package of care in place. This group was allocated to one of two nurses from the breast care team who received training from clinical nurse specialists	Usual care - staying in hospital post-operatively until all wound drains were removed (approximately five or six days)

NHS, National Health Service.