The scope of nursing practice in level III neonatal intensive care units.

A structured, timed, telephone survey to determine the scope of nursing practice in level III neonatal intensive care units revealed that the staff/head nurse and neonatal nurse clinician/specialist now are responsible for a wide variety of sophisticated skills and procedures, which were heretofore usually performed by a physician. This study has broad implications for educational as well as service activities and indicates a need to change physician and nurse expectations and education accordingly.