The roles of nurses have traditionally included those activities that assist the client physically and psychologically while preserving the client’s dignity. Here are some of the roles and functions of nurses when it comes to health care:

• Communicator. The nurse communicates with clients, support persons and colleagues to facilitate all nursing actions.
• Leader. The nurse through the process of interpersonal influence helps the client make decisions in establishing and achieving goals to improve his well-being.
• Care Provider. The nurse supports the client by attitudes and actions that show concern for client welfare and acceptance of the client as a person. The nurse is primarily concerned with the client’s needs.
• Teacher. The nurse provides health teaching to effect behavior change which focuses on acquiring new knowledge or technical skills. This role primarily gives emphasis on health promotion and health maintenance.
• Client Advocate. The Nurse promotes what is best for the client, ensures that the client’s needs are met and protects the client’s rights.
• Counselor. The nurse helps the client to recognize and cope with stressful psychologic or social problems, to develop improved personal relationships and to promote personal growth. This role includes providing emotional, intellectual and psychologic support.
• Change Agent. The nurse initiates changes and assists the client in making modifications in the lifestyle to promote health. This role involves identifying the problem, assessing the client’s motivations and capacities for change, determining alternatives, exploring the possible outcomes of the alternatives, assessing resources, determining appropriate helping roles, establishing and maintaining a helping relationship, recognizing phases of the change process, and guiding the client through these phases.
• Manager. The nurse plans, gives directions, develops staff, monitors operations, gives rewards fairly, and represents both staff members and administration as needed. The nurse manages the nursing care of individuals, groups, families and communities. The nurse manager delegates nursing activities to ancillary workers and other nurses and supervises and evaluates their performance.
• Collaborator. The nurse works in a combined effort with all the involved in health care delivery, for a mutually acceptable plan to be obtained that will achieve common goals. The nurse initiates nursing action within the health team.
• Researcher. The nurse participates in scientific investigation and uses research findings in practice. The nurse helps develop knowledge about health and the promotion of health over the full life span; care of persons with health problems and disabilities; and nursing actions to enhance people’s ability to respond effectively to actual or potential health problems.
• Case Manager. The nurse coordinates the activities of other members of the heath care team, such as nutritionists and physical therapists, when managing a group of client’s care.