Solidarity and Nursing Communities

The chapter argues that a community of nursing colleagues relies on solidarity. Solidarity entails that what affects one nurse also affects another, and solidarity among nursing colleagues is, therefore, a quality that deserves attention. This is evidenced by drawing on empirical examples from the Norwegian municipality and specialist health services, which are advanced, considering the qualities of solidarity. The examples illustrate how solidarity within a community of nursing colleagues arises from the content of what is common among them: having indispensable relationships with nursing colleagues and simultaneously encountering a relative absence of sympathy among colleagues. This involves an exploration of a premise that the community of nursing that an indiviual registered nurse works within can impact their decision to remain in the nursing profession. The chapter concludes that solidarity within a community of nursing colleagues is not peripheral to what solidarity generally involves; rather, it incorporates that what is common appears to be ambiguous. Consequently, the qualities of a community of nursing colleagues may impact a decision to remain in the nursing profession.