Professional autonomy of the nurse: some reflections Autonomia profissional da enfermeira: algumas reflexões Autonomía profesional de la enfermera: algunas reflexiones

Objective: To reflect upon the professional autonomy of nurses within the biomedical care model. Methods: This study will analyze the issue based on the reflection built from the theoretical reference regarding the work in the area of health and in nursing. Results: It was identified that in the biomedical model, the professional autonomy of the nurse is limited and conditioned by the decisions of the physician (in which the work process command the use of roles and health services), due to a fragile construction of a body of understandings linked to the profession, and because of the growing technical division of work in health and in nursing. Conclusion: The nurse can widen his/her professional autonomy in other care models that enable the construction of knowledge related to the field of nursing, such as the areas of Mental Health, Obstetrics, and Primary Health Care. These are areas destined to the nurse to develop his/her own autonomous professional practice, consonant to the holistic care in health care.