The effect of cognitive flexibility in nurses on attitudes to professional autonomy

Background: Professional autonomy, which directly affects the quality of professional nursing in patientcare, and cognitive flexibility, which is an important factor for adaptation to change and developing nursingroles, are important concepts for nursing.Research objectives: This research was carried out to determine the effect of cognitive flexibility onattitudes towards professional autonomy in nurses.Research design: This was a descriptive study.Participants and research context: The research was conducted with 415 nurses working in a cityhospital of a province, meeting the inclusion criteria and agreeing to participate in the study. A questionnaireform, The Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and the Attitude Toward Professional Autonomy Scale forNurses (APASN) were used to collect data.Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee before startingthe study. Institutional permission was obtained from the city hospital where the study was conducted.Electronic informed consent was obtained from the nurses included in the study.Findings: In the study, the mean CFI score was 80.62 ± 11.55 and the mean APASN score was 70.42 ± 18.79.There was a weak positive correlation (r = 0.270; p < 0.05) between CFI and APASN scores. Moreover, theeffect of the CFI mean score on the APASN mean score was found to be statistically significant (β = 0.278; p <0.001). Furthermore, CFI explains 7.7% of APASN.Conclusion: In the study, nurses’ attitudes towards professional autonomy and cognitive flexibility scoreswere found to be at a good level. Cognitive flexibility has a positive effect on attitudes towards professionalautonomy. Interventional studies that will increase the level of cognitive flexibility are recommended in thedevelopment of nurses’ attitudes towards professional autonomy.