To understand the basis of the debate, a description of what comprises a profession must first be explored. Ritchie and Gilmore describe a profession as requiring prolonged training and formal qualifications. A profession ensures competent performance of individuals within its ranks ANA, The purpose of this paper is to explore ways in which nursing meets these criteria of a profession.
Currently, there are many pathways for nursing education, ranging from two year degree programs to bachelor to direct-entry masters and doctorate programs. Regardless, programs at every level of study share the common pedagogical goal of providing students with the practical knowledge and theoretical basis to deliver safe and effective health care as integral members of the inter-professional healthcare team.
Despite the variety of nursing programs and the range of advanced degrees they offer, all students have their basic professional nursing skills assessed by the National Council Licensure Exam NCLEX.
All students must pass the NCLEX before entering the workforce or progressing towards more advanced degrees; professional standards are clearly established and all prospective nurses are held to a uniform standard of proficiency.
This is another indication the BSN is progressing becoming the level of entry for nursing practice. Nursing as a profession is constantly expanding its scope of practice and challenging its workforce to continue its education. Through advanced education, professional nurses, all held to the initial NCLEX standard, can be prepared to fill a larger number of more focused roles, extending from dialysis management to advanced practice roles with prescriptive powers.
Each specialization includes its own additional professional standards and certification exam, furthering the uniform standards for all nurses. Of course with multiple levels of educational preparation with which one may enter into the practice of nursing, it can be argued that nursing does not meet the educational requirement identified by Joel and Kelly In some states, advanced practice nurses are able to embark on their own practices. Over time, individual state nurse practice acts have been steadily granting nurse practitioners increasing levels of autonomy within their spectrum of practice Catalano, The practice of medicine is an example of the development of a profession, as medicine developed into a profession the autonomy of physicians continued to expand.
Nursing will see a growth in the level of autonomy in everyday practice as nursing becomes more recognizable as a profession. In the nursing work environment, this freedom could best be translated as empowerment. The study concluded that improvements in nurse retention firmly required implementations specifically designed to increase the sense of nursing empowerment.
Clearly, at least internally, nurses see themselves as professionals. While the Zurmehly et al. For instance, nurse practitioners in some states must practice under the supervision of a physician and have a collaborative practice agreement on file with their respective state board of nursing. While this is not the case in all states, until freedom of action is uniformly applied to all nurses according to their educational preparation, it can be argued nursing lacks the full range of freedom of practice to be considered as a profession.
Nursing relies on the Code of Ethics established by the American Nurses Association ANA as ethical standard for conduct that guides professional practice. There are nine provisions to the Code of Ethics. These provisions codify the fundamental values of nursing, establish the boundaries of nursing duty, and articulate the ethical responsibility of the nurse ANA, These are the guiding principles, obligations, and commitments of the nursing profession. Ethics in health care includes the rights, responsibilities and obligations of professional and clients.
The Code of Ethics directs the goals, values and ethics for nurses to uphold Matthews, With a defined code of ethics, the nurse is able to recognize and face ethical challenges for a complex patient population Ulrich, et al.
Fowler, describes the Code of Ethics as assurance to the public that nurses are proficient and capable of providing safe and effective care. The nurse adheres to the Code of Ethics as a framework to guide in decision making.
Following standards ensures each professional abides by a defined set of principles that protect the integrity of the profession. Increasing Knowledge Joel and Kelly require a profession to engage in enlarging its body of knowledge.
In addition, this body of knowledge must be well defined and organized in order for it to be applied within the complex healthcare environment. That is until I seriously injured my back and was treated horribly by the hospital. In retrospect, I feel nursing was a poor fit for me. While inequality exists in other professions, I found some nurses who talked a good game, while actually providing very poor patient care, disturbing on many levels.
The head nurse set up a unit filled with gossip, mistrust, back stabbing and poor morale. Perhaps 35 years ago the standards that nurses used were high. Not so much anymore. Nurses are overpaid and lazy. I feel What Dona said is absolutely correct. Being a nurse for 24 years, I too had the same view and I always feel so. I love the dialogue. It is truly thought provoking.
Also, where is Martin practicing that he is independent of a psychiatric physician or M. I agree with Martin irrespective of whether or not he can spell procedures. I have been a nurse since Now Chief Nurse of a bed Hospital and have years of both Clinical and Managerial experience behind me.
We have a role that requires us to behave professionally but we are not autonomous enough to be called a profession. Repeatedly stating otherwise wont change this. Bravo, Donna! I have been working since I entered my BSN program in to project my professionalism at all times in my practice and, as the years passed, to mentor new RNs to understand and believe in their profession.
Thanks, Martin, but no thanks. If you do not want to be identified as a nurse — maybe you should have been a PA. You may have been working hard as a RN for 35 years but you are not a professional. The most critical element about being a professional is freedom of action. RNs still require the action of another to perform her duties.
I will soon be a psychiatric NP. This a is being a professional. RNs work hard but are not professional. Great article! Nursing is a profession First and Job Second!!
Hear, hear, Donna! As a nurse of 37 years, I would like to add to your comments. We must seek to add to the body of knowledge and promote evidence-based practice! Continue to encourage and support one another! Even in our profession, we still need to be aware of the Employment Laws of the State we practice in, regardless of the setting or venues we decide on in all of our paths throughout the years of our Nursing Careers.
As Women,or Men, sometimes with life challenges, changing health, and family demands, we need to know what our limitations are, and what our Employers should and should not be doing to us, legally. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Powered by www. No part of this website or publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder.
American Nurse American Nurse. Sign in. Forgot your password? Get help. Create an account. With the research articles provided, these will give. There is no doubt that nursing is an ever changing field. Although nursing always has been about caring for others, at the present time, this field is more sophisticated and respected than in the past. Currently, there are standards of nursing practice and professional performance developed by the American Nurses Association ANA for American nurses to follow.
However, there is some controversy about whether nursing is a profession or not. Also, in order to learn these standards as well as other. What Makes Nursing A Profession? Nursing is a multidisciplinary profession in which caring, holism, endurance, effective patient care and patient safety are simultaneously executed. Nursing is a unique profession whereby personal experience and a personal philosophy contribute to great nursing care. In this paper, I will review my view of nursing and what makes it a unique profession.
Nursing as a Profession What makes nursing a profession? According to the ANA, the requirements for nursing profession are education, service, autonomy, theory, and the code of ethics.
Nurses undergo prolonged schooling which emphasizes critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Nurses are educated in both scientific data and humanistic values. These two fields are vital in patient care. Nurses provide a service specific to only the nursing profession. Instead of only treating the illness, nurses treat the individual as a whole. Provision 1.
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