UM OLHAR SOBRE A AUTONOMIA: PERCEPÇÕES DE ENFERMEIRAS SOBRE SUAS PRÁTICAS NA ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA.

Objective: To analyze nurses' perception of autonomy to exercise their practices in the context of primary health care. Methods: A descriptive study with a qualitative approach that analyzed 108 interviews carried out with nurses from the four capitals of the southeastern region of Brazil. The interviews, guided by a semi-structured script, were recorded and transcribed. The data produced were processed and explored with the help of the NVIVO® software. Results: Most of the participants were women, white, lived in the same city where they work, and graduated from private institutions. Two categories were organized: repercussions of autonomy and its consequences for solving users' health needs; and (lack of) knowledge about the regulation of nursing practices: challenges for autonomy. Conclusion: Nurses understand the importance of autonomy for their practices, but they face interference in their daily work, either by management, the structure of services or the need for protocols that guarantee the exercise of their professional activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]