Nurse autonomy expressed in Portuguese and Brazilian professional legislation: a documentary study (1986–2022)

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the convergence of nurse’s autonomy expressed in Brazilian and Portuguese professional practice legislation. Method: Qualitative, social-historical documentary study on the normalization of Brazilian and Portuguese professional standards for nursing practice, materials socialized in the digital collection of the profession’s organizational and disciplinary entities. Qualitative analysis from the perspective of Eliot Freidson’s sociology of professions. Results: Ten standards were analyzed, five from each country, which establish legislation for the nurses’ professional practice. The following categories emerged: autonomy of knowledge and specific competence of the profession, in the ethical limits of the multi-professional relationship and in the disciplining of training for professional practice. Conclusion: The professional autonomy under analysis implies providing access to services and to multi-professionality for the availability of health to society.