Are nurses independent and autonomous practitioners?
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Are nurses independent and autonomous practitioners?

Susan Mitchinson Senior Lecturer, School of Health Care, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool

The purpose of this paper is to review the present position of nursing as a developing profession. The author considers the forces stimulating change and the extent to which nurse practitioners hold professional independence and practise nursing from an autonomous base

Nursing autonomy and independence are developing as a result of the changing nursing role. The direction which this role development has taken and the degree to which autonomy and independence have been achieved, however, are open to debate.

Nursing Standard. 10, 34, 34-38. doi: 10.7748/ns.10.34.34.s45

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