Maternal-Newborn and Surgical Nurses' Perceptions of Professional Autonomy During the Development of Shared Governance

Abstract

Defined by Schutzenhofer (1987) as 'the practice of one's occupation in accordance with one's education, with members of that occupation governing, defining, and controlling their own practice in the absence of external controls', professional autonomy has eluded nurses. Autonomy is the hallmark of professionalism (Mundinger, 1980). Because nurses are predominantly female, the limited autonomy in nursing practice is primarily rooted in female socialization norms which do not encourage women to be autonomous. Nursing education traditionally has also restricted the development of professional autonomy. Professional autonomy is further influenced by the work environment and differences in nursing practice models. Autonomy, in turn, is an important factor in job satisfaction for nurses (Rowland & Rowland, 1992) and has been shown to influence professional practice and patient outcomes (Baggs, Ryan, Phelps, Richeson, & Johnson, 1992; Maas & Jacox, 1977; Mundinger, 1980; Singlelton & Nail. 1984).

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA275331

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  • Denise A. Moore

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  • Air Force Institute of Technology

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  • Autonomy

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  • Administrative Personnel
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