Exploration of the Expanded Role of the Nurse in a Primary Care Setting

Abstract

During the past year an interest group of the Faculty of Nursing at The University of Western Ontario has been meeting with a view to delineating our position on the nurse working in primary care. Initially, we came together to discuss the "expanded role of the nurse." However, early in our deliberations we seemed to arrive at the conclusion that although there are undoubtedly some commonalities in the functions of nurses who are working in what are termed "expanded roles," in reality, what comprises the set of functions in an expanded role depends on the setting in which the role is being practiced. Our attention then became focused on the expanded role of the nurse in primary care settings. When we felt we had raised and discussed the issues related to this role, we decided to use the Delphi Technique as a means of achieving consensus on the issues relevant to the role. At the time of writing this div, this is the process in which we are involved. Although the faculty as a whole has not, as yet, taken a definitive stand on the role and preparation of the nurse in primary care, during the past few years individual faculty members have been actively engaged in looking at this role. Also, we have been keeping a finger on the pulse of the local, provincial, and national scenes as they relate to the nurse in primary care and the need for this role.