title: Exercise of autonomous home care practice: the relationship with nurse characteristics.
abstract: This study examined how the value of autonomy is reflected in home healthcare agencies' practice models and how staff registered nurse (RN) characteristics (education, experience, certification) relate to the RNs' perception of their ability to exercise autonomous practice: control over practice decisions (clinical autonomy) and control over practice setting decisions (organizational autonomy). RNs (N = 82) from 11 agencies were found to have more control over practice decisions than practice setting decisions. No significant relationship was found between RN characteristics of education, RN experience, home healthcare experience, and specialty certification.
authors.affiliation: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106-4904, USA. sxt32@xase.edu
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tullai-McGuinness
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.forename: Mary K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Anthony
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002568:Certification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004522:Educational Status; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016294:Models, Nursing; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009820:Ohio; D017009:Professional Autonomy