Professionalization in healthcare chain

Background: Several elements influence the process of professionalization. The focus is on the process of professionalization in the healthcare chain. A special emphasis proportion was given to the field of nursing and its gradual transition to the profession. During the transition process endogenous and exogenous environment act as elements which should be identified. Methods: Data were analysed using quantitative and qualitative methodology. A quantitative part involved descriptive statistics, contingency analysis and ordinary least squares and multivariate linear regression with and without control variables, both based on indexation. The qualitative part consisted of the analysis of the data collected through open-ended questions and semi-structured interview. An adjusted questionnaire was designed. Results: Attributes into the process of professionalization are present in nursing professionals aged more than 51 years with more than 26 years of working experience, employed at primary level of healthcare. The acquisition of new knowledge represents the contribution to their human capital and contemporaneously raises their expert power as well. Lifelong learning, nursing professional autonomy and specific knowledge in nursing as an endogenous and exogenous factors indicate statistically significant positive impact. The analysis identified that ethics in nursing had only marginal statistically significant positive impact in the process of nursing professionalization. Conclusions: The identification of endogenous and exogenous elements allows additional planning as well as research into the practice and quality of care in general.