The nurse practitioner and autonomy: contributions to the professional maturity of nursing.

In 1990 we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the nurse practitioner (NP) movement. We now have had considerable experience with the role, and it is appropriate to examine our contributions to the maturity of nursing as a profession. Nursing's future health care delivery role in an increasingly competitive health care arena may well depend on the autonomy, of the practice of professional nursing. This article focuses on NPs, their autonomy, and their contributions to the professionalization of nursing.