title: The "As-If" World of Nursing Practice: Nurses, Marketing, and Decision Making.
abstract: The "as-if" world of nursing is a well-constructed, institutionally preserved and defended myth that asserts clinicians who are "just nurses" do not make decisions in the absence of "doctor's orders." Drawing on data from an ethnography exploring the interactions between nurses and industry, we explore the finding that many nurses did not identify as "decision makers" and were mystified by the attention of sales representatives. Many nurses experienced marketing as benign as there was no "decision" to sway. Nursing must deconstruct the "as-if" nondecisional myth by confronting conflicts of interest and owning fully its rightful clinical and advocacy roles. www.advancesinnursingscience.com.
authors.affiliation: Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Dr Grundy); and Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (Dr Malone).
authors.forename: Quinn
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Grundy
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Malone
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003657:Decision Making; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology* / Q000592:standards*