Registered nurses' opionions on an extended role concept.

Using a Likert-type questionnaire, opinions of 800 professional registered nurses in Texas, selected at random, were surveyed on the extended role concept as reflected by the family nurse clinician (FNC). Thirty percent of the questionnaires were returned and used for data analysis. The survey found that the nurses' years of nursing experience, employment status, field of employment, and education background influenced their opinions on the extent they thought the FNC could assume the defined responsibilities, the areas of the health care delivery system in which the FNC could exert a positive influence, and anticipated problem areas for the practicing FNC. Strongly supportive of the role, the nurses favored the FNC's assuming considerable responsibility in the delivery of primary health care.