An instrument for measuring differentiated nursing practice

Newman's trilevel model of professional nursing practice specifies the roles of staff nurse, team leader and clinician/case manager. Essential elements of the roles are time and place orientation, assignment of clients, nursing observation and communication and nursing interventions. A pilot study to establish validity, clarity and fit of items was administered to three groups of nurses to fit the trilevel model categories through assessment of their job descriptions. Percentage of response indicated the instrument's ability to differentiate the roles.