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Related Concept Videos

Obedience01:08

Obedience

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According to obedience research, we may harm others under the forceful pressures of an authority figure (Milgram, 1974). How about if the inappropriate orders were delivered with less force? The increasing interdependence between nurses and physicians compelled Hofling and his colleagues to explore nurses’ reactions to a potentially harmful medical request made by the perceived authority figure, the doctor (Hofling, Brotzman, Dalrymple, Graves, & Pierce, 1966). In this situation,...
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Ethical Issues01:27

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Nurses are essential in patient care, upholding the ethical principles of their profession and effectively navigating ethical dilemmas. Neglecting ethical issues can lead to inadequate patient care, compromised therapeutic relationships, and moral distress among healthcare workers.
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Ethical Dilemmas I01:17

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Ethical dilemmas in nursing are of utmost importance, as they often arise from the tension between adhering to core ethical principles and the practical realities of healthcare delivery. These dilemmas require nurses to navigate complex situations where competing ethical considerations pull them in different directions.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 19, 2026

E-Patient Counseling Trial E-PACO: Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
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Epistemic Authority in Nursing Practice vs. Doctors' Orders.

Pamela G Reed1

  • 1Professor, The University of Arizona preed@arizona.edu.

Nursing Science Quarterly
|June 9, 2016
PubMed
Summary

The doctors' orders policy persists in nursing despite conflicting with nursing's core principles and advanced knowledge. This article examines this policy

Area of Science:

  • Nursing Practice
  • Healthcare Policy
  • Professional Autonomy

Background:

  • The traditional "doctors' orders" policy remains prevalent in contemporary nursing.
  • This policy often conflicts with established nursing perspectives, standards, and advanced knowledge.
  • There is a need to re-evaluate nursing's role and authority within healthcare systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the "doctors' orders" policy within the context of professional nursing practice.
  • To explore the incongruence between this policy and nursing's disciplinary viewpoint.
  • To examine the implications for nursing's epistemic authority and professional autonomy.

Main Methods:

  • Critical analysis of existing literature on nursing practice and healthcare policy.
Keywords:
disciplinarydoctors’ ordersepistemic authoritynurse practicenursing knowledge

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  • Examination of the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the "doctors' orders" policy.
  • Discourse analysis of professional nursing standards and their relationship to medical directives.

    • Main Results:

    • The "doctors' orders" policy is incongruent with nursing's independent scope of practice and knowledge base.
    • This policy undermines nursing's epistemic authority and professional judgment.
    • Continued adherence to this policy hinders the advancement and integration of nursing science.

    Conclusions:

    • Reforming or abolishing the "doctors' orders" policy is crucial for advancing professional nursing.
    • Recognizing nursing's epistemic authority is essential for improved patient care and healthcare outcomes.
    • Nurses must actively engage in policy dialogue to redefine their professional roles and responsibilities.