Although the terms autonomy and advocacy have proliferated in nursing literature and in nursing curricula over the past decade, the degree to which registered nurses claim these dimensions in their practices and in their thinking has remained unknown. A study was conducted to determine the relationship between nurses' self-concepts and their attitudes toward autonomy and client advocacy, and rejection of traditional role limitations associated with nursing. A random sample of 106 female registered nurses (RNs) completed the "Tennessee Self Concept Scale" (TSCS) and "Pankratz Nursing Questionnaire" (PNQ) and provided demographic data on basic nursing education, highest degree held, year RN received, years active in nursing, current employment status, position, and field or practice area in nursing. The results revealed that the nurse respondents scored high on all selected dimensions of the TSCS. There was a significant relationship revealed between self-concept and advocacy, and between self-concept and rejection of traditional role limitations. In addition, a significant positive correlation was found between autonomy and highest degree held, and other serendipitous findings were revealed between demographic data and the variables under investigation. (Author/NRB)