Role analysis of the advanced practice nurse using the Neuman Health Care Systems Model as a framework

The role of the advanced practitioner of nursing is perceived and operationalized differently from practice setting to practice setting. These differences should compel practitioners to analyze and differentiate role expectations within specific practice situations. The Neuman Health Care Systems Model provides a systematic framework for role analysis, development, enactment, and evaluation. The analysis should serve to decrease role stress, strain, and ambiguity while ultimately increasing role implementation success. The purposes of this article are: (a) to describe the general systems theory that is the basis of the Neuman model, (b) to describe the Neuman Health Care Systems Model to provide a basis for role analysis, and (c) to provide a structure for role analysis of the CNS. The benefit of a systematic microanalysis of the role of the CNS will be to develop a template to be used in the analysis of a particular position in the real world.