Extended Role of Student Nurse

Abstract

Nurse’s play a vital role in health delivery system. Nurses always remain on the front lines for our care. And they need to be at the foundation of health care reform are always extending and expanding their services with the changing trends. Nowadays Innovations in health care, expanding health care services, the increasing needs of patients care & occurrence of new illness have been act as stimulus for new nursing roles and responsibility. Nursing is the largest among health care professions. Traditional role of nurses are concerned on curative aspect whereas expanded role of nurse is assumed by virtue of education & experiences and extended role of nurse focused on the services to the people and society. Possible rationales are behind this move helps to encourage nurses to extend their practice. These include cost effectiveness, improved patient care, the freeing of medical time and professional status enhancement. There is an issue of nurses competence and the legal and ethical implications are raised in extended nurse roles. It is advocated that health care professional nurses and doctors collaborate to ensure that appropriate standards of care are upheld. Nurses can extend their role during student period itself by engaging themselves in service learning opportunities given by Red Cross, NSS, Red Ribbon Club.