Nursing care delivery model

• Total Patient Care


  • The nurse is responsible for all aspects of one or more clients' care
  • The nurse works directly with the client, family, physician, and health team members
  • This model has a shift-based focus
  • The same nurse does not necessarily care for the same client over time
  • For continuity of care, the staff needs to communicate clearly the client's needs to one another from shift to shift
• Functional Nursing


  • This involves the division of tasks, with one nurse assuming responsibility for certain task (administration of medications) while another nurse assumes responsibility for others (hygiene, nursing therapies)
  • Nurse tend to become highly competent with the tasks that are repeatedly assign to them
  • Functional nursing is task focused, not client-focused
  • Communication is not always clear since no one nurse is responsible for the overall care of the client
• Team Nursing


  • This involves the delivery of nursing care by staff of various educational preparations
  • The nurse leads the team composed of other nurses and assistive personnel (nurse assistants, health aides)
  • The team members provide direct client care to group of clients under the direction and coordination of the nurse team leader
  • This collaboration encourages each member of the team to help others
  • Health personnel are often given client assignments rather than nursing tasks
  • Team leader communicates with the physicians for problems met by the team members
• Primary Nursing


  • Nurses are place at the bedside
  • Nurse assumes responsibility for a caseload of clients over time
  • Nurse selects the clients for his/her caseload and care for the same clients during their hospitalization or stay in a health care setting
  • Designed to maintain continuity of care across shifts, days or visits