Nursing as a Profession
Nursing as a Profession
Lisa Renfrow
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Nursing as a Profession The question of whether the practice of nursing is considered a profession or an occupation is an ongoing debate, much like the ongoing debate over what defines a profession. Several scholars have outlined criteria for considering an occupation to be a profession. Given a list of scholars and their criteria for what characteristics define a profession, I have chosen the list formulated by Lucie Kelly, RN, PhD, FAAN. Although the scholars’ works seem to share similar criteria and any could be selected for comparison, I have chosen Kelly’s criteria based on her background in the nursing profession. In addition to being a nurse, Dr. Kelly is a writer and a teacher. She compiled a list of eight characteristics of a profession in 1981 (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). Though they were written over 30 years ago, Kelly’s criteria are still relevant to modern nursing practice. According to Kelly’s first criterion, a profession should provide a service to humanity and to society as a whole (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). I believe that there is no sustainable argument against the fact that this is exactly what nurses do. Nurses provide a service by caring for individuals in our society who are ill or injured, and they educate and promote wellness in their communities. I believe that the nursing establishment certainly meets and possibly defines the requirements for this particular standard. I believe nursing also meets the second standard, which states that a profession should possess a special body of knowledge that is constantly advanced through research (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). Nursing is based on science, but what sets the profession apart is the focus on the individual as a unique being and their response to health problems. Nursing is constantly being refined through evidence-based practice. “Nursing is no longer based on
Lisa Renfrow
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Nursing as a Profession The question of whether the practice of nursing is considered a profession or an occupation is an ongoing debate, much like the ongoing debate over what defines a profession. Several scholars have outlined criteria for considering an occupation to be a profession. Given a list of scholars and their criteria for what characteristics define a profession, I have chosen the list formulated by Lucie Kelly, RN, PhD, FAAN. Although the scholars’ works seem to share similar criteria and any could be selected for comparison, I have chosen Kelly’s criteria based on her background in the nursing profession. In addition to being a nurse, Dr. Kelly is a writer and a teacher. She compiled a list of eight characteristics of a profession in 1981 (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). Though they were written over 30 years ago, Kelly’s criteria are still relevant to modern nursing practice. According to Kelly’s first criterion, a profession should provide a service to humanity and to society as a whole (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). I believe that there is no sustainable argument against the fact that this is exactly what nurses do. Nurses provide a service by caring for individuals in our society who are ill or injured, and they educate and promote wellness in their communities. I believe that the nursing establishment certainly meets and possibly defines the requirements for this particular standard. I believe nursing also meets the second standard, which states that a profession should possess a special body of knowledge that is constantly advanced through research (Chitty & Black, 2011, p. 66). Nursing is based on science, but what sets the profession apart is the focus on the individual as a unique being and their response to health problems. Nursing is constantly being refined through evidence-based practice. “Nursing is no longer based on
References: Chitty, K., & Black, B. (2011). Professional nursing: Concepts & challenges. (6th ed.). Maryland Heights, MO: Saunders Elsevier. NursingWorld. (2012). Retrieved September 26, 2012 from American Nurses Association website: http://www.nursingworld.org/