What is Role Clarity in Nursing Practice?

In 1993, the Pew Health Profession Commission called for the nursing profession to "develop programs at the various levels of nursing education that reflect the contributions needed in our changing patient care systems...(and to) model new nursing arrangements in the health care delivery system using differentiated nursing roles, evaluating their impact on patient and health system outcomes.

The majority of nurses are still prepared within isolated educational institutions to practice in acute care settings with an illness-focus. These settings provide few opportunities to learn within the collaborative, team approach required of our emerging, health promoting, community-based practice of the future.

In the practice model of role clarity nurse roles are structured according to educational preparation, experience and competence. Each member of the nursing team has a distinct valued role, based on a clearly identified level of role function. This team approach maximizes the use of limited nurse resources.