Process of building an entrepreneurial career in Nursing

OBJECTIVE: To learn about the experiences of nurse entrepreneurs in building their careers and business trajectories. METHOD: A descriptive and exploratory, qualitative study carried out with nurse entrepreneurs, recruited using the snowball technique. Interviews were conducted via Skype and audio-recorded between June and July 2021, which were transcribed and subjected to content analysis. RESULTS: 15 nurses participated. Three thematic axes were identified: “Entrepreneurship in nursing with the use of technologies”, which presented niches of activity and the use of technologies; “Desire to innovate even with fear of the new”, which reports feelings and motivations related to entrepreneurship, especially innovation; and “What nurses need to know before starting a business”, which presents the risks and benefits of entrepreneurship, as well as the skills needed by entrepreneurs. CONCLUSION: The entrepreneurial experience presents challenges for nurses. Thus, encouraging knowledge about entrepreneurship makes it possible to strengthen autonomy and gain new opportunities in nursing.