This is the first of two essays about five models of nursing practice delivery-total patient care, functional nursing, team nursing, primary nursing, and the attending nurse. Total patient care, functional nursing, and team nursing are discussed in this essay. The other two models will be discussed in another essay published in a future issue of Nursing Science Quarterly. Each model is described, and its connection with nursing discipline-specific knowledge is discussed. The extent to which each model ascribes accountability for practice also is discussed.
Keywords: functional nursing; nursing; practice delivery models; team nursing; total patient care.