Abstract

RIBEIRO, Jorge Manuel da Silva. The professional autonomy of nurses. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2011, vol.serIII, n.5, pp.27-36. ISSN 0874-0283.  https://doi.org/10.12707/RII1062.

The evolution of scientific knowledge in nursing has generated important contributions to health gains. Nonetheless, the social recognition of nursing autonomy remains a problematic and paradoxical issue which justified this study. The objective of this study is to analyze the correlation between the level of autonomy perceived by nurses in their work context and the variables (age, seniority, number of services where the nurses worked, degree of satisfaction with the nursing profession and ability to make decisions in their professional activity), and analyze differences in perceived level of autonomy by nurses at work according to the variables (gender, academic qualification, workplace and professional category). Inferential analysis indicates a significant difference on autonomy level according to the variables (academic qualifications, workplace, professional category). Moreover it also reveals that nurses who show more satisfaction with their profession and disclose more capacity for decision-making at work, context also express a higher perception of professional autonomy.

Keywords : professional autonomy; professional identity; independent interventions; decision-making.

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