Moving toward a Nursing Model in Advanced Practice

Abstract

The nurse practitioner focus has been evolving from a medical to a nursing orientation since the inception of the role in 1965. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between role attitudes and values, confidence about practice knowledge and skills, and orientation to a medical or nursing model to guide practice. A national random sample of482 nurse practitioners completed the Attitudes and Values Scale, the Confidence in Skills Scale, and a demographic survey. Findings indicate that nurse practitioners are very confident about their practice skills and knowledge and have a very strong nursing orientation. There is a direct positive correlation between level of confidence and degree of nursing orientation. Nurses in the sample also rated themselves as more confident about hands-on skills than indirect role components such as utilization of research, change theory, and evaluation of practice outcomes. The discussion interweaves this study's findings with role theory and offers a comparison and contrast to the existing body of knowledge.