Professional nurse Autonomy is an essential attribute of a discipline striving for full professional status. PURPOSE: This study was to clarify the concept of professional nurse autonomy to provide basic data needed for development of professional autonomy enhancing strategies. METHOD: This study use the process of Walker & Avante's concept analysis based on Wade's research (1999), and field data of 21 nurses. RESULTS: Professional nurse autonomy is defined as competency and creative performance of the professional nurse in practice, to decide independently or interdependently nursing activities and to be had accountable for results of decisions, that reflect advocacy and caring. It was identified that critical attributes include responsible discretionary decision making, collegial interdependence, initiative, creativity, and caring, advocacy, cooperative relationship with clients, receptive capacity to others, activeness, self confidence, and devotion and responsibility to their profession. Antecedents include personal characteristics, educational background, experience and structural characteristics that enhance professional nurse autonomy. Consequences of professional nurse autonomy are feelings of self-efficacy, empowerment, job satisfaction, reduction of intention to leave their job. CONCLUSION: According to these results, it is recommended that the curriculum provides an environment for learning professional nurse autonomy, and that is used as basic data to develope strategies to enhance professional autonomy of nurse in practice and it's effects.

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