ASSESSING THE REGULATION OF SELF-EMPLOYED NURSES IN THREE CANADIAN JURISDICTIONS

Abstract

Self-employed nursing creates new opportunities with increased autonomy to provide for the needs of Canadians using their unique skills, knowledge, and judgment in alternative settings, yet research demonstrates current provincial nursing regulation is inhibiting nurses in these roles. Using qualitative case study methodology, this research aims to examine how provincial regulation impacts self-employed nurses. The case study compares three provincial registered nurse regulatory bodies by analyzing publicly accessible documents to discover how regulatory actors and context impact the content and processes self-employed nurses engage in. The findings demonstrate specific contextual features and actors as having a significant impact on the regulation of self-employed nurses through their influence on content and processes. Right-touch regulation and other evidence-informed regulatory practices are identified as a facilitator of self-employed nursing regulation which represents a key finding of this research.