INFLUENCE AND LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITY-BASED NURSING IN NORWAY

This study investigated the perception of influence and decision makin g among mid-level community-based nurses. Respondents were nurses and nurse leaders in public health nursing, home nursing, and nursing in n ursing homes in the municipality. Nurses in three nursing services loc ated within each municipality's Community Health Service in 72 municip alities were surveyed or interviewed. The results show that the leader s of the nursing service and nurses in the three services are regarded as having influence, and in fact, possess more influence on the decis ion process than the administrative leaders and political management. There are great differences in the perception of decision making among the leaders of the nursing service and nurses in the three services. The leader of the health visiting service has less influence on decisi on making than the leader of the nursing home, while the health visito r has more influence on decision making and autonomy in professional w ork than the nurse in the nursing home. These differences might be exp lained by contextual factors such as tradition, gender, and work proce ss.