Role of the nurse: introducing theories and concepts

This article is a descriptive analysis of the work of nurse theorists in relation to the role of the nurse. It is clear from the literature that nursing is difficult to define but it is possible to identify the core values of nursing and the commonalities that run through the profession. The core components identified by an examination of the literature are the development of systems for the delivery of care, coordinating care, teaching, defending the frail and vulnerable, caring for the ill and the well, and providing technical care. This article aims to provide a baseline picture of what nursing is and how it is described in nursing models allowing readers to examine and compare their own values and image of nursing with what the theorists have written.