RESUMEN
Nurse practitioners identified as successful were interviewed to evaluate factors related to the viability of nurse practitioners in the health care system. The interviewees believed they were successful because they provided a nursing dimension of primary care, developed strategies to market themselves and their services, collaborated with physicians who saw them as colleagues, and had certain personality characteristics. In addition, the interviewees suggested strategies to enhance practice and potential nurse practitioner roles. These results suggest further research in two areas: investigation of health care administrators and management to solicit their ideas about the future strategic issues for the development of nurse practitioner roles and a broader, more formal survey of nurse practitioners regarding their success in the marketplace.