My Nursing Professional Identity

I would like to introduce you to Mary B. It is a fictitious name. She is 39 years old and has been a registered nurse for the last 15 years. Mary is married and has got two children aged 7 and 10 years old. She is a New Zealand European and was born in New Zealand. As a registered nurse Mary has been working in the hospital setting and the rest home. All her working life so far was connected to the elderly care. Her current role is a hospital nurse in the geriatric recovery ward. Most of Mary’s work is basic nursing care for elderly people (65 years old and over) after surgeries, rehabilitation. Also they provide palliative care for people in the end of their lives. Mary and her colleagues are involved in doing blood transfusions, wound

The learner must achieve a sense of identity in occupation, politics, and values. Professional identity involves the internalization of core values which becomes evident as the student learns, gains experience, and grows as a professional (Benner et al., 2010). Professional identity is foundational to the assumption of various nursing roles. In the age of collaborative practice, it may be especially challenging for the novice to distinguish nursing practice from that of other health care providers. Experience has taught this learner what to expect and how to respond in a given situation. The proficient learner begins to view the whole situation. This holistic understanding makes decision less difficult (Benner et al., 2010).

To have a professional identity as a nurse you must have courage. Giddens states that “in the context of professional identity courage has two meanings: (1) to affect change and (2) to stand in opposition for moral rightness (pg. 383). This means that nurses need to be able to be confident when they stand up for their patient. They also need to have courage to speak up when another member of the health care team does something that is not professional or goes with the agency’s policies. Having courage as a nurse means that you can relay details of a conversation you had with a patient to the provider when the patient does not agree with the care being offered. According to Giddens, a nurse with can also have physical courage or moral courage

This essay focuses on the impact of historical development of nursing on contemporary representations of the nursing profession. It examines the professional identity of nursing and further discusses the contribution of modern nursing, social, cultural and political factors that influences the professional identity of a nurse. The essay also looks into the professional regulations and the role of the nurse’s and midwifery Council (NMC) in the protection of the public. Finally, this essay will discuss nursing education, the media, stereotype, and their impacts on nurses as well as demonstrate my understanding as a student nurse to challenge the professional identity of nurses.

This research study will endeavor to explore the internal and external factors influencing the formation and continued development of professional identity in post baccalaureate nurses by investigating the following question: What are the lived experiences related to, and the influences upon, the development of professional identity in baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses who have practiced in a hospital setting three to six years post-graduation and are engaged as clinical instructors for baccalaureate students ?

Professional identity has become a necessary concept to employees who are working in a health and human-serviced environment because it comprehends the image and perceptions of individuals that has based on the way she/ he performs a job or operates within their career field (Brott & Myers, 1999; Smith & Robinson, 1995). Therefore, in nursing occupation, professional identity is considered to be the most important concept that to prove their patients their skills and knowledge in their field. This essay further focuses on the precise definition of professional identity as well as nursing identity, the key industry and quality agencies and association that set standards, guidelines, and codes of practice in nursing and how industry and professional agencies monitor the quality of care and services in professional nursing.

Behavioral attributes that I practice that identify me as a professional in nursing are accountability, altruism, and compassion. I practice accountability by accepting the responsibility for the diverse roles, obligations, and actions of a nurse through self-regulation and other behaviors that positively influence patient outcomes. I practice altruism by placing the needs and interest of the patients before my interests and providing the patients services that go beyond expected standards of practice. I use compassion in my practice to identify with my patients experience to understand their perspective.

Professional Nurse is my number one career choice. In many ways, it reflects my second, third and fourth career choices like Nursing Practitioner, Nutritionist and Health Educator. Educators teach and lead people toward success. Accountants keep and maintain a systematic and chronological record of financial transactions. And professional golfer commits themselves to extensive study and practice to master the skills of their profession. As a Professional Nurse, I see myself incorporating all three. I want to master the skills of medical diagnosis, work to keep and maintain a systematic and chronological record of medical and patient information, and successfully educate my patients, so they are empowered to choose a healthy life.

I have a 10+ years of extensive work experience as a registered nurse in a cardiac unit. During that time, I developed the skills to deliver impeccable health care and service towards patients. I have been trained in monitoring patients, updating information on vital signs and documents of effectively monitor their health. While working at Loyola Hospital as charge nurse, staff nurse, and preceptor nurse, I was tasked with assessing the condition of patients. I firmly believe that I will bring the energy, positive attitude, and dedication necessary to thrive in your hospital’s environment. As a recent graduate from Kaplan University for RN-BSN program, it has provided me a stronger knowledge base, and leadership skills. I believe that I can

Professional identity is developed from Professionalism and is a sense of oneself that is influenced by the characteristics, norms, and values of the nursing discipline resulting in an individual thinking, acting and feeling like a nurse (Giddens, 2013). Professional behavior is a core attribute of nurses as they strive to provide clients with the best health care services available. Professionalism entails demonstrating ethical behaviors when addressing clients, disclosing client information, and also when addressing other health care professionals (Giddens, 2013). Poor communication strategies undermine professionalism and can lead to serious effects for the patients. During handoffs, professional communication entails that the nurse provides adequate information to the nurse on the next shift so that he/she is aware of the clients’ current health status (Giddens, 2013). A nurse exhibits consciousness and awareness for the client who she is looking after, by displaying these attitudes, thus displaying Personhood (Ashcroft et al., 2016). Professionalism is also characterized by advocacy for clients. Advocacy is the act of speaking for others to assist them in meeting needs, and it is an

Ive always wanted a rewarding career that revolved around helping people. I want to pursue a career as a nurse practitioner. I am not sure on what specialty I want. So given a assignment in my Introduction Health Sciences class where I have to shadow a nurse practitioner, it gives me the opportunity to explore a specialty and see what it really is like in their typical work day. An advanced practice registered nurse, by the name of Mary Carlson at Parkland Medical Center was willing to let me shadow her for a day. Carlson graduated with her BSN from Boston College. She then pursued a graduate degree from Boston University. Her official title is, Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Medicine.

I do not believe whether he/she wears scrubs or a uniform really matters to the public image of nurses. I believe that nursing professionalism and presentation is the package not how one is dressed. Good patient care can be provided by a nurse wearing a trash bag in lieu of all white and a cap. I do believe that hospitals, LTC or any other health care establishment should implement dress codes and colors for all staff. For example; where I work all nurses either RN’s or LPN’s must wear all black or all white; no exceptions. CNA’s wear teal, MLT wear blue, RT wear navy blue and environmental services wear polo shirts with tan pants. With that being said, at times it does not matter to the patient or patient’s family because they will ask

Nursing is a profession involving the comprehensive care of a patient and advocating on their behalf. My definition of nursing is based on my experience as a nursing student at the University of Delaware and hospice volunteer. Nursing

When I joined this program, I decided that I wanted to become a nurse but I wasn't so certain on what type of nurse I wanted to become. I thought about becoming a pediatric, neonatal, oncology or a psychiatric nurse. But I did not know which field best suited me. Eventually, I signed up for work based learning so I can shadow nurses and help others so that I can see which field I wanted to pursue. When I was interning at Rehab where all the physical and occupational therapists were at, I completely forgot about nursing and I wanted to be either a physical or a occupational therapist. But I thought that I was too weak to be a physical therapist. So I shut that thought down. So I told myself that I could always be a nurse since either way I

When I was a child I had a severe ear infection and my parents took me to the clinic to be treated. During that visit I had to observe and interact with the nurses. They provided me a comfort before treatment and they healed me with an excellent care. I admired their work and wished to be in their shoes. As I grew older, I chose to study health related sciences which brought my feet into medical field, and I am confident that I will obtain a quality nursing education helping me to be prepared. The admission to the nursing school will allow me earn a degree and help better our patients by working as a nurse. My professional goal is to become a registered nurse who provide care to people of any category especially children. I enjoyed working