Professionalism is a fundamental concept that is determined by learning the norms, attitudes, behaviors, skills, roles and values of the profession. Professional identity means the internalization of values and norms of the profession into the behavior and self concept of the individual (Creasia & Parker, 2007 ).Traditional recommendations to promote nursing into a complete profession predicated on developing a body of specialized knowledge and using scientific methods to enlarge theoretical basis; education in university settings and acquiring clinical competence; adherence to a code of ethics; self regulation and autonomy; in addition to lifetime commitment and service to the public (Keogh, 1997; Wynd, 2003; Alidina, 2013). From a sociological point of view, acquiring specialized knowledge and having control over the work environment are two essential characteristics of a profession (Freidson, 2001). Lack of autonomy was a major threat for nursing to achieve full professional status (Kelly, 1987; Smith, 2003; Creasia, & Parker, 2007). Determining the professional status of nursing in the modern society is by no means an easy task as different countries have different opinions on the matter (Keogh, 1997). According to Colyer (2004), health professionalism is a function of both culture and time and is influenced by the ideology that determines public policies and the delivery of health care services. In Ontario, the Best Practice Guidelines issued by the RNAO (2007)
Behaviors associated with nursing professionalism go far beyond how nurses practice in a clinical setting. Alidina describes professionalism as “a multidimensional concept that provides nurses with opportunities to grow personally and professionally (2013, p. 128). This shows that professionalism has many different components. Alidina also uses “Miller’s Wheel of Professionalism.” This model uses a wheel to represent different aspects of professionalism. The different behaviors that are represented are “adherence to code for nurses, community service orientation, Professional Organization Participation, autonomy and self-regulation, Publication and Communication, development and use of theory and research, and continuing education and competence (2013, p. 129-130).
The learner must achieve a sense of identity in occupation, politics, and values. Professional identity involves the internalization of core values which becomes evident as the student learns, gains experience, and grows as a professional (Benner et al., 2010). Professional identity is foundational to the assumption of various nursing roles. In the age of collaborative practice, it may be especially challenging for the novice to distinguish nursing practice from that of other health care providers. Experience has taught this learner what to expect and how to respond in a given situation. The proficient learner begins to view the whole situation. This holistic understanding makes decision less difficult (Benner et al., 2010).
There are nine essentials of professional nursing practice that will ensure the professional nurse will be able to practice in complex healthcare systems. The nine essentials are liberal education, basic organizational and systems leadership for quality care and patient safety, scholarship for evidence based practice, information management, health care policy, interprofessional communication and collaboration, clinical prevention, professionalism and baccalaureate generalist nursing practice. These aspects of the baccalaureate education are “essential” for creating a well-rounded nurse able to practice in a variety of settings and provide care for people from “all walks of life.”
Nurses must display a knowledge of skills by portraying a functional ability to assess, treat, and prevent illness in the clinical setting. “The nurses are obliged to gain specialized knowledge, skills and training through the rigorous study of biological, physical and behavioral sciences and then use this knowledge to diagnose and treat patients suffering from different ailments. The patients treated must be under the supervision of skilled medical practitioners and the nurse must be equally directed by the expert medical practitioner. The prevention and management of illnesses, injury and ailments also forms some of the major tasks that have to be carried out by nurses. Politeness in expression, compassion for patients and proper uniform are also some of the main parts of professionalism in nursing.” (professonalism in nursing http://www.buzzle.com/articles/professionalism-in-nursing.html)
This essay focuses on the impact of historical development of nursing on contemporary representations of the nursing profession. It examines the professional identity of nursing and further discusses the contribution of modern nursing, social, cultural and political factors that influences the professional identity of a nurse. The essay also looks into the professional regulations and the role of the nurse’s and midwifery Council (NMC) in the protection of the public. Finally, this essay will discuss nursing education, the media, stereotype, and their impacts on nurses as well as demonstrate my understanding as a student nurse to challenge the professional identity of nurses.
Professionalism is a very important key in the nursing profession. It is what paints a good image for a business or, in this case, an organization, people will most likely choose the professional organization over the unprofessional, because with the nurses that are professional they have great quality in customer service. Examples being, nurses that are professional aren’t rude or disruptive, they handle business in a kindly manner, following directions and policies etc. Unprofessionalism in nursing practice continues to hinder the expansion of the field. There are many things that nurses do that are highly unprofessional at the workplace. A few major unprofessional mistakes nurses tend to do is, bullying, breaking HIPPA, and behavior. To me, these are the biggest mistakes that really pop out at me.
This essay will focus on how historical developments of nursing impact on contemporary representations of the nursing profession. It will examine professional identity of the profession and further discusses the value of modern nursing, social, cultural and political factors that influence the professional identity of the nurse. I will also discuss the professional regulation and the role of the nurse’s midwifery Council (NMC) in the protection of the public. Finally, this essay will discuss nursing education, the media, stereotype, and their impacts on nurses as well as demonstrate my understanding as a student nurse to challenge the professional identity of nurses.
Professional identity has become a necessary concept to employees who are working in a health and human-serviced environment because it comprehends the image and perceptions of individuals that has based on the way she/ he performs a job or operates within their career field (Brott & Myers, 1999; Smith & Robinson, 1995). Therefore, in nursing occupation, professional identity is considered to be the most important concept that to prove their patients their skills and knowledge in their field. This essay further focuses on the precise definition of professional identity as well as nursing identity, the key industry and quality agencies and association that set standards, guidelines, and codes of practice in nursing and how industry and professional agencies monitor the quality of care and services in professional nursing.
And all of them continue to develop with wide-ranging nursing research. We will continue our analysis using professional nursing practice in New Zealand. In modern days all nurses have to obtain the bachelor of nursing degree to become a registered nurse. So universities and polytechnics are the main providers of nursing degree. They are closely supervised by the Nursing Council of New Zealand (NCNZ) to ensure the compliance with the requirements of competencies for registered nurses. In New Zealand before you can practice you have to obtain the registration from NCNZ through passing the states final and being fit to practice. Fit to practice means you have to be of a good character, speak good English, and have to acquire the necessary knowledge (NCNZ, n.d.). Also nurses have to provide selfless service and think about the nursing profession when they represent themselves in the society. As any other profession nursing has to abide to the code of ethics. It consists of set of values which applies to nurse- client relationship, nurse-colleague, nurse-organization and nurse-society relationships. They all include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, confidentiality, veracity, fidelity, guardianship of the environment and its resources, being professional in the context with the above relationships (New Zealand Nurses Organization, 2010). So as we found out nursing has got all necessary features of the profession. Professional nursing practice has got four
In a highly respected profession such as nursing, professionalism is an important element to staying employed and setting one’s self apart from the rest of the applicants when competing for a potential job. By definition professionalism are the qualities and traits that describe a professional. While knowledge is crucial in any profession, according to an article published by the University of Kansas (2012), “all medical professionals must strive to retain those humanistic qualities integrity, respect, and compassion that constitute the essence of professionalism.” Whether you work in a hospital or administration these three qualities encompass the core of nursing and exemplify what it means to be a professional.
I have worked as a Registered Professional Nurse for about 8 years, and have the professional goal of obtaining a Master’s Degree in Nursing Administration. This, I believe, would help me to positively influence patient healthcare outcomes on a management level. In this essay, I will provide examples of how I have exemplified professionalism as a Registered Professional Nurse, in the areas of leadership, evidence- based practice, information management, interprofessional collaboration, and professional values.
Nightingale said, “The very first requirement in a hospital is that it should do the sick no harm”. The history of nursing initially begins with Florence Nightingale. Before her era nurses had a tarnished reputation (Glasper, 2017). They were poorly educated and incompetent people. Nurses such as Mrs. Bedford Fenwick wanted to change the image of nursing. They did this by leading a campaign for professionalism. Which led to the culminated Nurse Bill receiving is royal assent in December 1919 (Glasper, 2017). July 27, 1921 was the official opening of the nursing register, there are currently 688,927 nurses registered with the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) (Glasper, 2017). The NMC code has four themes of professionalism, “Prioritizing
The American Nurses Association (ANA) established The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice (2010). The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice consists of Standards of Practice and Standards of Professional Performance. The standards serve as guidelines to define the profession of nursing and define the scope of practice for professional nurses. All standards presented in the The Standards of Professional Nursing Practice (2010) are essential for the nursing professional to function, legally, ethically and professionally in the healthcare organization.
It is important to integrate the concept professionalism into your nursing career because it allows you to flourish personally as a nurse but more importantly allows the patient to receive the care they deserve. Throughout the course of one’s nursing career there will be many slips and falls. Mistakes will happen but we as nurses are able to reflect and learn from them in a
The combination of professionalism and ethics can be equated with an extraordinary nurse because they are core components in the nursing profession and crucial to patient trust, confidence and wellbeing. Having a degree in nursing is not what makes one a professional. Professionalism is