ROLE EXPECTATIONS OF THE CLINICAL NURSE SPECIALIST AS VIEWED BY STAFF NURSES AND PHYSICIANS

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the role expectations of the CNS as viewed by staff nurses and physicians. Fifty-five nurses' and 46 physicians~ expectations of four subroles and 37 specific role functions of th~ clin~cal n~rse specialist were studied utilizing Clifford's Clinical Nurse Specialist Functions Scale (1981). Two-tailed ~-tests were employed to measure the differences between the means of the nurses' and . physicians' expectations for each subrole. Significant differences were found between the two groups' expectations of the education and the research roles,· but no significant differences were found between the expectations for the clinical .practice and the administrative roles. The nurses rated the.education role as most expected ana the administration role as least expected. The physicians expected the clinical.practice role the most, while the research role was least expected by the physicians.