An exploration of the role of nurses working in emergency care services in general hospitals in Indonesia

This research explored the nursing role in the Indonesian ED setting through a social constructivist lens. The emergency department (ED) nursing role in Indonesia is considered strategic in achieving quality outcomes and yet the nursing role in this context lacks clarity and visibility. This study generated two key analytical concepts: shifting boundaries and lacking authority. The interrelationship of these concepts constructed a core category, securing legitimate power, which reflects the social structural processes underpinning the development of the ED nursing role. The findings of this research pose a theoretical explanation of the ways in which the interplay of gender, society, knowledge and power has positioned nursing within the Indonesian health care system and society more broadly. The findings contribute to the development of a body of knowledge that challenges the status quo of nursing in Indonesia and that will ultimately enhance the professional status of this sector.