Nursing Autonomy

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Specializes in ICU, ER, High Risk L&D, PHN, Hospice RN,.

Could anyone please tell me what you feel nursing autonomy is at a bedside level nurse and as an advanced practice nurse? Do you feel nurses have autonomy in their jobs? I have been a nurse for 34 yrs and am having a hard time with this issue.

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Specializes in Pediatric critical care.
Could anyone please tell me what you feel nursing autonomy is at a bedside level nurse and as an advanced practice nurse? Do you feel nurses have autonomy in their jobs? I have been a nurse for 34 yrs and am having a hard time with this issue.

I didn't mean to put a thank you, but I wanted to ask you what are your feelings about your level of autonomy. Are you at the bedside?

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Thread moved to General Nursing Discussion forum.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, High Risk L&D, PHN, Hospice RN,.
I didn't mean to put a thank you, but I wanted to ask you what are your feelings about your level of autonomy. Are you at the bedside?

I am not at the bedsie unless I am in a patient's home or at a facility I am a hospice nurse. But I too am mandated by the physician and am not autonomous. I know nursing has changed greatly in technology but have we changed patient care and are we autonomous if we have physicians leading how we practice? I think only if we become educated enough we will have the respect of Physcian who let of us have some sense of autonomy. Good

luck in this wonderful beloved profession. I truely mean that!

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Hmmm, will I take the BP on the left arm or the right arm? Should I take a radial pulse or an apical pulse? ;)

I would suspect if you spoke to some older retired nurses you would find that we have gained a great deal of autonomy in the last few decades

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For me, the best thing about not being a NP is not having as much responsibility. I like the autonomy of being able to give nursing care without having to take as much responsibility for initiating medical care.

The autonomy I treasure as a nurse at the bedside is to really understand how to make people comfortable, prevent complications, anticipate complications, and treat as directed. I am thrilled that I can use my mind to determine when that treatment may not be appropriate and know I can and need to question the treatment ordered.

As long as I stay within my scope of practice I have full autonomy in these things. I don't tell the MD what to do. I suggest and listen to reasons why this is appropriate or not. If I am unsure of my role I can call the BON for clarification. These parameters may be fluid in many situations but the basics remain. I work within protocols agreed upon and can do many things that required MD intervention in my distant past.

I am not sure if this is exactly what you are asking. It works for me.

It is a great question and one that is good for me to think about.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, High Risk L&D, PHN, Hospice RN,.
Hmmm, will I take the BP on the left arm or the right arm? Should I take a radial pulse or an apical pulse? ;)

I would suspect if you spoke to some older retired nurses you would find that we have gained a great deal of autonomy in the last few decades

I am an older nurse not retired, probably never will. But I do not see great strides.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, High Risk L&D, PHN, Hospice RN,.
For me, the best thing about not being a NP is not having as much responsibility. I like the autonomy of being able to give nursing care without having to take as much responsibility for initiating medical care.

The autonomy I treasure as a nurse at the bedside is to really understand how to make people comfortable, prevent complications, anticipate complications, and treat as directed. I am thrilled that I can use my mind to determine when that treatment may not be appropriate and know I can and need to question the treatment ordered.

As long as I stay within my scope of practice I have full autonomy in these things. I don't tell the MD what to do. I suggest and listen to reasons why this is appropriate or not. If I am unsure of my role I can call the BON for clarification. These parameters may be fluid in many situations but the basics remain. I work within protocols agreed upon and can do many things that required MD intervention in my distant past.

I am not sure if this is exactly what you are asking. It works for me.

It is a great question and one that is good for me to think about.

Do you work on standing orders?

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We have standing orders for many things. Some are really a menu of orders to have MD cross out what does not want. Other things are covered by protocols agreed upon by all the MDs involved.

I work closely with MDs so it really is a fairly simple process.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, High Risk L&D, PHN, Hospice RN,.
We have standing orders for many things. Some are really a menu of orders to have MD cross out what does not want. Other things are covered by protocols agreed upon by all the MDs involved.

I work closely with MDs so it really is a fairly simple process.

Had to chuckle at you too man years and speciality, I feel the same

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I am an older nurse not retired, probably never will. But I do not see great strides.

I don't think we have enough autonomy. You need an order for absolutely everything even though you may already know what needs to be done. 02, IV, Blood Transfusion, EKG, Trops, Cultures, Bolus, NGT etc etc etc.

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