Lversity. Antures to RNmost oftenhe pediatric in Denver.its advisoryhealth oursed her BSN at University.z University,1 practice butMA from thes University, of ParklandI a BS and anof the AlphaNurse-of-the-:ses' Associa-ar nursing. AID THE SOCIALCARDIAC SUR-Jsurgical nurs-aville, Tennes-ing at the Uni-n neurologicald a continuinging. Mrs. Wahl and an MSNnsultant to thisanzi, RN, andkillchecks.FOREWORDAS RECENTLY AS 1940, nurses weren't per-mitted to take a patient's blood pressure. Butin the past 3 decades our roles have changeddrastically. Today we're not only measuringtraditional vital signs such as blood pressure-- we're also assessing patients with sophisti-cated tools such as electrocardiograms andintra-arterial catheters; advising patients onhealth matters; and initiating programs in pa-tient education. And our role will continue tochange. Nurses everywhere are asking formore than auxiliary or handmaiden status. In-deed, some argue that our role be expandedeven further to include such functions as per-forming screening procedures, ordering awide range of laboratory tests, performingminor surgery, even prescribing certain typesof medications. Does all of this intimidate me? No. In fact,I'm thrilled! Because it speaks of a rising con-sciousness of who nurses are, and what wecan contribute. How much we can do, such astransferring a patient from a ward, or orderingspecific laboratory tests, or initiating nursinginterventions, will depend on the autonomywe have. For nurses who are propedy pre-pared, intervention and autonomy go hand inhand. The move -- however embryonic --against standing orders and treatment pro-