Despite the vast research on nursing profession, little is known about the depth of the responsibilities of nurses to the public. The majority of the society seems to still perceive nurses as “the one who wipes butt” or “the pillow fluffer”. They have very little understanding of what nurses really do and to how far nursing field have gone. The overall image of the nurses that emerges from the society is negative and we must fix that. With the research articles provided, these will give us an insight on how we can change that perception. Tracy Hart presented us thoughts on how we can carry out that change while Carol R. Myers gave us an in depth explanation on why it is important to take charge and be united as professionals. Their statements will add nuance to our understanding on who we are and how we can make that change.
What is Nursing Professionalism? Nursing professionalism in my view is carrying out ethical responsibilities with integrity while providing optimum care. It is important to the nursing profession because it portrays the most fundamental values of nursing and our commitment to serve. Without it, nursing would be categorized as a job rather than a profession. The nursing profession is so dynamic. As the nurses branch out to a variety of fields that reflect different bodies of knowledge, it is imperative to continuously assess and evaluate the quality in patient care and nursing practice through a regular review to maintain the integrity of the profession. This will help improve nursing as a profession. Nursing requires advanced knowledge and special skill but it is our vocation to our chosen field that delineates us as professionals. When my mother-in-law was diagnosed with lung cancer and my mother had another heart surgery, I felt helpless. That was when I decided I wanted to become a nurse. I wanted to be able to take care of my family and know what I am doing. Although I am not currently practicing my nursing
References: Blais, K.K., & Hayes, J.S. (2011). Professional Nursing Practice: Concepts and Prospectives (6th Ed.) Boston, Mass.: Pearson. Hart, T. (2011). Nursing as a Profession. Blind Peer Reviewed. Retrieved from http://ms4dz3dx8q.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info% 3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fmt= info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=The+Profession+Of +Nursing&rft.jtitle=Nevada+RNformation&rft.au=Traci+Hart&rft.date=2011-08 01&rft.pub=Nevada+Nurses+Association&rft.issn=02734117&rft.volume=20&rft.issue= &rft.spage=15&rft.externalDocID=2510884971 Myers, C. R. (2012). Stand Up! Claiming our Profession. Journal Article. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com.ozone.nsc.edu:8080/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=12&sid=104b619b-51d7-435d-8c4e-e30ee6643632%40sessionmgr110&hid=103