Relationship between Professional Image and Autonomy among Staff Nurses

Abstract

Professional image provides nurses a sense of pride in their profession and makes them feel recognized for their knowledge and education and these increase their feeling of autonomy. Give nurses more autonomy in decision making and control over the workplace will impact nurses' professional image in media, society, and health service organizations and will affect their autonomy. This study aimed to assess the relationship between professional image and autonomy among staff nurses. A descriptive correlational design was utilized for conducting the study. The study was conducted at Benha Ophthalmic Hospital which affiliated to Egyptian Ministry of Health. Subjects of the study included all staff nurses available during the time of the study. Their total number was 140 staff nurses. The data in this study were collected by using two tool, first tool: professional image questionnaire it consisted of two parts, part I: personal and job characteristics of study subjects including age, gender, social status, level of nursing qualification, and duration of working at nursing profession. While, part II this part consisted of (37) items concerning three sub scales: practice subscale (13) items, value subscale (11) items and public i