XML DB :: Un-nest XML With Single Child Element

I'm trying to write a generic function for un-nesting child nodes where nesting is deemed unnecessary. Typically when the element only has one child element.

For example, given the following source....
<ROOT>
  <ITEM>
    <DESCRIPTION>TEST1</DESCRIPTION>
  </ITEM>
  <ITEM>
    <DESCRIPTION>TEST2</DESCRIPTION>
  </ITEM>
</ROOT>I actually want.....
<ROOT>
  <DESCRIPTION>TEST1</DESCRIPTION>
  <DESCRIPTION>TEST2</DESCRIPTION>
</ROOT>

because we think ITEM isn't really required before we deliver XML data.I've been trying to achieve this with a function, where I pass in the XPath to the node I want flattening, something like

function UnNest(pXMLData XMLType, pXPath varchar2) return XMLType...Called like the following...
declare
begin
  vXMLData := UnNest(SomeXMLData, '/ROOT/ITEM')
end;I tried using XQuery Update (11gR2), as follows,
[code]....

My destination platform is 11gR2 64 bit but going forward I may need a solution for 10gR2 too. Perhaps there is another way without using XQuery Update?