Self-realisation-What does this mean for school nurses to remain in nursing practice?

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Professional Development
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Self-realization appears to be a factor in nurses' retention in the profession.
• School nurses identify autonomy and professional development as key to self-realization, yet little research explores this phenomenon in their context.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and interpret the meaning of self-realization for school nurses.
• To understand how self-realization contributes to nurses remaining in their practice.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing individual in-depth interviews.
• 15 school nurses participated in the study.
• Phenomenological hermeneutic analysis was applied to interview data.

Main Results:

• Emergent themes included: 'being attentive to yourself,' 'acting true to yourself,' and 'making independent choices.'
• These themes highlight the importance of authenticity and autonomy in professional practice.

Conclusions:

• Self-realization for school nurses involves practicing their originality and advocating for their values.
• This process is integrated into nursing practice and appears to influence nurse retention.
• Creating environments that support nurses' self-attentiveness, authenticity, and independent decision-making may enhance job satisfaction and retention.