Neonatal nurse practitioners--a model for expanding the boundaries of nursing culture in New Zealand.

The development and terminology of what constitutes advanced practice nursing roles in New Zealand has been the subject of recent debate within nursing. This article outlines the development of the neonatal nurse practitioner role in New Zealand as an example of one advanced practice nursing role. A model of how nursing culture changes to include roles that incorporate components that historically have been considered the domain of other health professionals is proposed. This article outlines some of the issues surrounding the neonatal nurse practitioner role, including the educational requirements for this role in New Zealand.