title: In the company of women: enacting autonomy within the perinatal nursing relationship.
abstract: An understanding of autonomy has important significance in North American health care. Although a respect for autonomy is necessary to protect the self-determination and agency of birthing women in hospital settings, I suggest that enactments of autonomy that are independent of relationships offer only an incomplete interpretation of such a vital concept. In this article I explore an understanding of autonomy situated within the context of a relational birthing narrative. In so doing, autonomy becomes conceptualized as contextual and concrete, giving rise to an embodied view of the birthing woman.
authors.affiliation: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1. lsg@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Goldberg
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D017283:Neonatal Nursing / Q000941:ethics*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations / Q000941:ethics*; D036801:Parturition / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D010344:Patient Advocacy / Q000941:ethics / Q000523:psychology; D010358:Patient Participation / Q000523:psychology; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D014933:Women's Rights / Q000941:ethics