Abstract
The purpose of this research was to study the Latvian nurses education and professional role in a changing society. Latvia declared its independence from the Soviet Union in May 1990 and is now an internationally recognized parliamentary democracy. The state is in a transition period from a planned economy to a market economy. The situation is changing for many groups of the society. Nurses form one of these groups.
Data were collected from nursing journals and relevant documents and through interviews of nurses, who represented nursing education, professional leaders. The most important findings were that the Latvian nurses are aiming at a more developed professional role. The developed nursing education adjusted to the European criteria represent the future hope. Still there is a dependence and some hindrances to overcome. New values must be understood and incorporated in the individual and in the collective.