Nurse Autonomy: What It Is and What It Is Not
Presented by Cathleen Armato
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Autonomy is the ability to act according to your knowledge and judgment within the full scope of your practice, to act independently, and also to assume responsibility for your decisions. Practicing with autonomy can lead to better patient outcomes and higher job satisfaction. In nursing, especially in a home or other nonconventional environment, autonomy is frequently misunderstood, and nurses can easily cross the line into practicing medicine. There are prerequisites to practicing autonomously. With a clear understanding of the limitations and prerequisites, the nurse is better prepared to function at the highest level while protecting both the patient and the nurse’s license.
Meet your instructor
Cathleen Armato
Cathleen Armato is an experienced executive with 22 years in the home care and hospice industry. She has served in various roles during that time, including VP of operations and chief compliance officer for a nationwide healthcare provider. In 2012, Cat became a consultant. Since that time, she has assisted multiple…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Defining Autonomy and the Prerequisites for Autonomy
This chapter helps to define what is meant by nurse autonomy and examines the prerequisites to practicing autonomously. Staying within the nursing scope of practice while maximizing your role can lead to better patient outcomes, higher levels of commitment from the nurse, and greater job satisfaction.
2. Limitations on Autonomy
This chapter looks at the scope of practice and standards of care to guide a nurse's autonomous actions. It also examines prohibited activities and how nurses can protect themselves.
3. Acting Autonomously
This chapter uses case studies to examine appropriate autonomous actions nurses can take in different situations. Different scenarios are examined to help nurses better understand how to maximize autonomous actions without violating regulations.
