Nursing Essay
Nursing is a profession which has evolved tremendously in the past century. From the dawn of time nursing has existed, in one form or another. This has contributed to it gaining recognition as a profession. According to.............profession has been defined as “an occupation that requires extensive education or a calling that requires special knowledge, skill, and preparation”. Since healthcare varies between cultures, nurses have historically taken on many different roles, these include folk healer, healer with religious ties, and that of a servant (Ellis & Hartley, 2012). Due of these various roles, some may not realize, or accept, that nursing has evolved into a much needed profession. As a result this essay will discuss what a profession is, the criteria needed to be present in order for it to be considered a profession, and the extent to which nursing council and professional organizations such as the nurses association of Jamaica enables nurses to meet the following criteria of a profession.
Criteria of a Profession
In order to understand why nursing is considered a profession, we must first understand the meaning of the word profession. There are many varied definitions of the word profession. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines profession as a noun meaning “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation” (n.d.).. Harkreader, Hogan, and Thobaben( 2007,pg 2) build on the previous mainstay definition by including five criteria: “, requires specialized education, has a code of ethics for behaviour of its members, autonomy, provides an essential service to society and a theoretical body of knowledge ”. The focus of this essay will be on the latter three criteria’s.
Autonomy
The nursing profession places a high value on the acquisition of autonomy as a requisite for professional status. Attitude toward professional nurse autonomy are introduce during baccalaureate nursing education programmes.
Criteria of a Profession
In order to understand why nursing is considered a profession, we must first understand the meaning of the word profession. There are many varied definitions of the word profession. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines profession as a noun meaning “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation” (n.d.).. Harkreader, Hogan, and Thobaben( 2007,pg 2) build on the previous mainstay definition by including five criteria: “, requires specialized education, has a code of ethics for behaviour of its members, autonomy, provides an essential service to society and a theoretical body of knowledge ”. The focus of this essay will be on the latter three criteria’s.
Autonomy
The nursing profession places a high value on the acquisition of autonomy as a requisite for professional status. Attitude toward professional nurse autonomy are introduce during baccalaureate nursing education programmes.
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