Nursing as a Profession

Joy N Bautista, RN, MPH, DRDM, MAN

Profession vs. Occupation

An occupation is a job or a career, whereas a profession is a learned vocation or occupation that has a status of superiority and precedence within a division of work (McEwen, 2005) All professions are occupations but not all occupation are professions

Profession
Greatly valued by society because the services that professionals provide are beneficial to the members of the society. Having an institutionalized goal or social mission Having a group of scholars, investigators, or researchers who work to continually advance the knowledge of the profession with the goal of improving practice. Having members who are responsible and accountable to the public for their work.

Characteristics of a Profession
Well-defined knowledge base Power and authority over training and education Registration Altruistic service A code of ethics Lengthy socialization Autonomy

Nursing as a Profession
Social mandate to provide health care for clients at different points in the health-illness continuum. Growing knowledge base Authority over education Altruistic service Code of ethics Registration requirements for practice

Professionalization of Nursing
Epistemology is the study of the theory of knowledge. Epistemologic questions include:
What do we know? What is the extent of our knowledge? How do we decide whether we know? What are the criteria of knowledge?

Ways of Knowing
Empirics - the scientific form of knowing. Empirical knowledge comes from observation, testing, and replication. Personal knowledge - a priori knowledge that pertains to knowledge gained from though alone. Intuitive knowledge - includes feelings and hunches. Intuitive knowledge is not guessing, but relies on unconscious pattern recognition and experience. Somatic knowledge - knowing of the body in relation to physical movement. Somatic knowledge includes experimental use of muscles and balance to perform a physical task.

Ways of Knowing
Metaphysical (spiritual) knowledge - seeking the presence of higher power. Aspects of spiritual knowing include magic, miracles, psychokinesis, extrasensory, perception, and near-death experience. Esthetics - knowledge related to beauty, harmony, expression. Esthetic knowledge incorporates arts, creativity, and values. Moral or ethical knowledge - knowledge of what is right and wrong. Values and social and cultural norms of behavior are components of ethical.

Carpers Patterns of Knowing

Empirical knowledge objective, abstract, generally quantifiable, exemplary, verifiable Esthetic knowledge expressive, subjective, unique, experimental Personal knowledge promotes wholeness and integrity in personal encounters Ethical knowledge moral code of nurses based on the obligation to serve and respect for human life

Schultz and Meleis Patterns of Knowing

Clinical knowledge - nurses personal knowledge Conceptual knowledge - abstracted and generalized beyond personal experience Empirical knowledge - results from experimental, historical, or phenomenological research and used to justify action and procedures in practice

Mochs Patterns of Knowing

Experiential knowing - becoming aware of participation or being in the world Interpersonal knowing - an increased awareness that occurs through intense interaction with others Intuitive knowing - the immediate knowing of something that does not appear to involve conscious reasoning

Roles and Responsibilities of a Professional Nurse

Caregiver Decision-maker Client advocate Manager and coordinator Communicator Educator Change-agent Counselor Role model Expanded roles Nurse leaders Nurse practitioners Case managers Nurse researchers Nurse administrators Nurse educators

Professional Ethical Principles

Beneficence do good Nonmaleficence do no harm Autonomy freedom to choose Veracity - truthfulness Fidelity loyalty and faithfulness Confidentiality - keeping secret information as secret Justice doing what is due others

Fields of Nursing
Institutional or clinical nursing Community health nursing Independent nursing practice Nursing educator Military nursing Nursing entrepreneurship Other fields forensic, flight, travel, hospice, nursing centers