Perception of nurses in expanded role

This is a study aimed at identifying nurses' responsibilities and the perceptions of consumers of health care regarding the expanded roles of nurses in the delivery of primary health care through institutional clinics. Questionnaires were distributed to various categories of workers and students who were receiving care in the selected clinics attached to higher educational institutions, in order to determine the acceptability of nurses in expanded role. Responses of consumers revealed a high degree of acceptability of the nurse's expanded role, with Users scoring higher than Non-users. All the nurses involved had a positive perception of their role which they felt could be improved with the provision of necessary equipment and refresher courses at regular intervals. Other factors necessary for enhancing their role in the provision of primary health care are highlighted.