Exploring Professional Nurse Autonomy: Balancing Expectations And Realities

Abstract

The notion of professional nurse autonomy is examined in this essay. It opens by drawing attention to the conflict that exists between the professional expectation of autonomous decision-making and the practical limitations that nurses frequently encounter. After that, the authors provide a framework for examining professional nurse autonomy that incorporates ideas from education, psychology, sociology, and nursing. The concept of professional nurse autonomy provided in the article places a strong emphasis on the client's centrality, responsible decision-making, and advocacy. It examines the relationship between professional nurse autonomy and variables including education, work environment, and personal traits by reviewing the literature on the subject. The authors present a type of autonomy for professional nurses and provide case studies to support their ideas. In their final section, they address the consequences for nursing education and offer curriculum modifications that can support the growth of professional nurse autonom.