Clarifying nurse practitioners' unique contributions: application of the Shuler Nurse Practitioner Practice Model

Even though nurse practitioners (NPs) have been widely accepted as members of the health care team for more than 30 years, their unique contributions in health care delivery are still unclear. It is critical that NPs collectively define their role, which is a blend of nursing and medicine, and consistently adhere to a model that defines practice parameters. This article proposes use of The Shuler Nurse Practitioner Practice Model as the critical missing link needed to guide NPs toward the demonstration of their unique contributions.