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Nursing is a Profession

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A profession is more than just learning a set number of skills or acting in a particular way. Even though nurses do not have complete autonomy in decision-making and practice, Nursing should be considered a profession because it requires an extended education and has a theoretical body of knowledge. No one factor can delineate a job from a profession. To act professionally, means to administer care in a conscientious and knowledgeable way without impeding harm on others. The nursing profession remains committed to the care and nurturing of both healthy and ill people, individually, or in groups, or communities (Cherry & Jacob, 2008).

View 1: Nursing is considered a Profession

Nurses of the past and present have struggled for recognition as knowledgeable professionals (Cherry & Jacob, 2008). Florence Nightingale played a major role in bringing about changes in nursing. As society changes so does the role of the nurse. The quality of health care cannot be compromised to patients. Nurses must continue to play major roles in future health care initiative (Cherry & Jacob, 2008). A defining feature of professional nursing practice is the focus on health promotion and risk reduction. Advances in science and technology will continue to emerge, which will help to predict future health problems (The Essentials of, 2008). Nursing is a profession because it requires an extended education of its members as well as a basic liberal foundation (Potter, & Perry, 2009). Nurses with bachelor degrees are providers of direct and indirect care. In this role, nurses are patient advocates and educators (The Essentials of, 2008). Patient advocacy is a hallmark of the professional role and requires that nurses deliver high quality care, evaluate care...

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...ironment scale in australian general practice. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 42(2), 207-213. doi:10.1111/j.1547- 5069.2010.01349.x.

Kramer, M., & Schmalenberg, C. (2008). The practice of clinical autonomy in hospitals: 20 000 nurses tell their story. Critical Care Nurse, 28, 58-71.

Potter, P.A., & Perry, A.G. (2009). Fundamentals of nursing. St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier.

Sportsman, S., Wieck, K., Yoder-Wise, P., Light, K., & Jordan, C. (2010). Creating tomorrow's leaders today: the emerging nurse leaders program of the Texas Nurses Association. Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 41(6), 259- 266. doi:10.3928/00220124-20100401-02.

The Center for nursing advocacy. (2008). Retrieved from http://www.nursingadvocacy.org/faq/autonomy.html.

The Essentials of baccalaureate education. (2008). Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges of Nursing
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