title: "We inform the experience of health": perspectives on professionalism in nursing self-employment.
abstract: Nursing work has evolved tremendously over the last century, raising ongoing questions about nursing's professional status. Through various strategies, professionalization in nursing has to some extent been accomplished, although autonomy over nursing practice has been elusive. This is especially so in the contemporary health care system, in which managerial control is emphasized and physician dominance continues. In response to professional constraints in traditional work settings, nursing self-employment is growing. In this study I used focused ethnography to explore the professional experiences of Canadian self-employed nurses and to reconsider nursing knowledge, ethics, and professionalism in this unique context. Despite the barriers they faced, these nurses offered a perspective on nursing professionalism that transcends classic professional traits, showing how the concept of professionalism can be invoked not as a way to "prove" status but as a way to describe a sense of commitment and the contribution to societal well-being.
authors: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. swall@ualberta.ca
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Wall
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada; D004651:Employment / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D017009:Professional Autonomy
keywords: ethnography; health care professionals; nursing; power / empowerment; sociology