asic scientific knowledge in Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology (Sonnenstuhl, 1998). Upon graduation, the student must then pursue two more years of training at the Master's Level. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the graduate curriculum for NPs should consist of the three following areas of instruction: "graduate nursing curriculum, advanced nursing practice core curriculum, and a nurse practitioner specialty curriculum" (Anderson & Gillis, 1998, p. 439). The first two areas train the student to perform difficult tasks of assessing the patients' health; making diagnoses; and catering to the primary care needs of the patients. The third component enables the student to gain in-depth knowledge and skills in the chosen area of specialty (Anderson & Gillis, 1998).
The training of NPs typically takes the form of problem-based learning programs in which students are immersed in clinical settings (Anderson & Gillis, 1998). Additional science information that is presented to these students is applied to the problems that are encountered in the medical environment. Very early in the program, the students are given the opportunity to provide consultations and referrals, as well as write prescriptions, with supervision and guidance. Through this direct exposure to the patients, many students have the opportunity to identify their strengths and weaknesses, while in training (Sonnenstuhl, 19990. This type of training program is thus designed to increase the pace of training for students who have already had previous work experience in health care settings (Anderson & Gillis, 1998).
Conceptualization of Role/Theoretical Support:
The conceptual framework serves as a theoretical basis for examining the unique role of FNPs and the multiple functions they perform within the health care system. With their comprehensive training, FNPs are able to perform the following tasks: a) provide routine medical care...