Predictors and outcomes of nurse professional autonomy: A cross‐sectional study

Abstract

Aims This paper is a report examining the level of professional autonomy as well as its predictors and outcomes among practicing nurses in the Philippines. Methods This study adopted a descriptive, cross‐sectional research design. One hundred sixty‐six (n = 166) nurses participated in the study or a response rate of 83% during the months of January 2017 to May 2017. Seven self‐reported scales were used for this study: the Nurse Autonomy Scale, Job Stress Scale, Burnout Measure Scale, Job Satisfaction Index, Organizational Commitment Questionnaire, Turnover Intention Inventory Scale, and the Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance. Inferential and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the collected data. Results Nurses demonstrated moderate levels of professional autonomy with education and hospital bed capacity as strong predictors. Regression analysis showed positive effects of professional autonomy on nurses' job outcomes such as organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and work performance. Conclusion Consistent to international studies, nurses in the Philippines demonstrated moderate levels of professional autonomy. Nurses who had higher levels of autonomy tended to be high performing, satisfied, and committed in their jobs. Organizational efforts are critically important to foster autonomy in practicing nurses through adequate support, education, training, and developed policies.

The relationship between health care providers' perceived work climate, organizational commitment, and caring efficacy at pediatric intensive care units, Cairo University

“…This means that the degree of nurses' perceived autonomy had an impact on their organizational commitment, similar to the findings of a study that was conducted in Philippines in nine hospitals in the year 2017. The study expressed a positive correlation between perceived autonomy in decision making and staff commitment …”

“…The study expressed a positive correlation between perceived autonomy in decision making and staff commitment. 40 The above associations revealed an important issue in the acute and critical care context since health care providers often face complex and unanticipated situations in this setting. Hence, they need a work climate that is characterized by autonomy to make their own decisions and reciprocal support.…”

Organisational and professional turnover intention among nurse managers: A cross‐sectional study

“…Additionally, obtaining a higher education enriches individual personal resources including the mastery of skills, self-confidence and professional autonomy (Labrague, McEnroe-Petitte, & Tsaras, 2019).…”

Analyzing the Job Demands-Control-Support Model in Work-Life Balance: A Study among Nurses in the European Context

“…At the same time, nursing professionals usually have little autonomy in carrying out their work activities [66], which greatly limits their decision-making capacity [67]. However, nurses who have higher levels of work autonomy tend to be high-performing, satisfied, and committed workers [68]. With respect to social support in health, Olmedo (2009) reports the presence of a complex web of interpersonal relationships with conflicting power dynamics between physicians (who are mostly male) and nurses, whose profession is still highly feminized [69,70].…”