Emerging nurses' roles in family health care

Family health nursing today encompasses a wide range of practices. This diversity is the result of nursing's increased interest in family health care, incorporation of new knowledge and skills into nursing practice, altered health care delivery systems, and changing family health needs. Three "ideal types" of nursing roles, the problem solver, the physician extender and the family unifier illustrate the variation in the nurse's knowledge and skill base, the setting in which she functions, and the member(s) of the family she serves.