Entrepreneurship in Nursing

Odilon A. Maglasang,RN,LPT,MAN,EdD
Learning Facilitator
 Nurse entrepreneurs fill the gaps in the current
health care delivery system by supporting the
development of targeted products and services,
enhanced technology, software, and safety systems.

A nurse entrepreneur has been defined as “a

proprietor of a business that offers nursing services of a
direct care, educational, research, administrative, or
consultative nature”

ICN, 2004 2
 Nurse entrepreneurs may build their
businesses to develop and distribute medical products
or devices, offer direct patient care or patient
advocacy, educate or train other professionals or
community members, or provide health care-related
consultation, among other functions.

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⊹ The concept of entrepreneurship in Nursing is related to
personal & professional characteristics:
Autonomy
Independence
Flexibility
Innovation
Proactivity
Self-confidence
Responsibility

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Nursing role
Entrepreneurship means that salaried nurse develops,
promotes, and delivers an innovative health care or
nursing practice. Nursing role & responsibilities are
continually changing with developments in medical
science, policy directives and movements in priorities in
health care, and advances emanating from nursing and
scientific research. Hence, there is a need for
entrepreneurial nurses, to maintain and improve the
individual care.
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 A nurse entrepreneur has been defined
as “a proprietor of a business that offers
nursing services of a direct care, educational,
research, administrative, or consultative
nature”.

Vannucci MJ & Weinstein SM, 2017

 Nurse entrepreneurs may build businesses that:

1. develop and distribute medical products or devices

2. offer direct patient care or patient advocacy, educate or train other
professionals or community members,
3. provide health care-related consultation, among other functions.

Vannucci MJ & Weinstein SM, 2017

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 As more nurses move beyond the bedside to explore
entrepreneurship, it is important to identify best practices and the skill
sets that are transferable from direct caregiving to business
leadership. It is also important to learn about how nurses have shifted
perspective to make the transition, including the need for self-care.

Vannucci MJ & Weinstein SM, 2017 8

The typologies of entrepreneurship in Nursing

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The typologies of entrepreneurship in Nursing

1. Social entrepreneurship is a mechanism of social

mobilization and transformation. This is all about
recognizing the social problems & achieving a social
change by employing entrepreneurial principles, processes
& operations.

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The typologies of entrepreneurship in Nursing

2. Business entrepreneurship is one in which nurses are

autonomous professionally. This starts & operates a
business while assuming the risks associated with any
such venture (e.g., using one's own collateral in exchange
for start-up financing from a lending institution).

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The typologies of entrepreneurship in Nursing

3. Intrapreneurship relates to corporate entrepreneurs. This

refers to a system that allows an employee to act like an
entrepreneur within a company or other organization.
They are self-motivated, proactive, and action-oriented
people who take the initiative to pursue an innovative
product or service.

⊹ Conclusion: Entrepreneurship can increase the visibility of the

profession and foster the creation of new spaces
for nurses.
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 References
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References
International Council of Nurses. Guidelines on the nurse entre/intrapreneur providing nursing service. Geneva, Switzerland; 2004.

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Vannucci MJ & Weinstein SM, (2017). The nurse entrepreneur: empowerment needs, challenges, and self-care practices.
https://doi.org/10.2147/NRR.S98407

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