Thoughts About Models of Nursing Practice Delivery.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice Models
• Healthcare Delivery Systems
• Nursing Administration

Background:

• Understanding different nursing practice delivery models is crucial for effective healthcare.
• Various models exist, each with unique approaches to patient care and accountability.
• This essay focuses on three foundational models: total patient care, functional nursing, and team nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the total patient care, functional nursing, and team nursing models.
• To discuss the relationship between these nursing models and discipline-specific nursing knowledge.
• To analyze the extent to which each model assigns accountability for nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and conceptual analysis of established nursing practice models.
• Descriptive approach to outlining the characteristics of each model.
• Exploration of the theoretical underpinnings and practical applications of each model.

Main Results:

• Total patient care model: centralized accountability with one nurse responsible for all patient needs.
• Functional nursing model: task-oriented approach with fragmented care and divided accountability.
• Team nursing model: collaborative care delivery with shared accountability among team members.

Conclusions:

• Each nursing practice model offers distinct advantages and disadvantages regarding care coordination and nurse accountability.
• The choice of model impacts the integration of nursing knowledge and the clarity of professional responsibility.
• Further discussion on primary nursing and attending nurse models will follow in subsequent publications.