Outcomes
The potential positive outcomes of full scope of practice utilization for primary care nurses extend to patients, employers, health professional teams (including nurses) and the health care system as a wholei. Overall, maximising nursing full scope of practice utilisation addresses current and predicted nursing and healthcare professional shortages (Oelke et al., 2008), increases role satisfaction (Jowett et al., 2001), and may improve health-care cost-effectivenessii. Full scope of practice utilisation supports continuity of care, and results in expanded service provision, and therefore increases access for patients (Pringle, 2009). Patients have also reported increased satisfaction with care, and feeling better equipped to cope with their illnesses (Besner et al., 2011). Just as job satisfaction decreases as scope of practice is limited, working to fuller scope of practice results in significantly higher level of satisfaction and autonomy (p<0.005), with comprehensive patient care being the primary determinantiii.