How nursing meets professional characteristics

Professional How Nursing Meets the Criteria or Characteristic

Characteristic
Authority to control its Nurses work for physicians or health care agencies unless
own work
engaged in private advanced nursing practice.
Exclusive body of Nursing pulls from a variety of fields to provide holistic nursing care.
specialized Nursing research generates new scientific knowledge for practice.

knowledge
Extensive period of Currently, there are three levels of education entry into
formal education and
training professional nursing practice: associate degree, diploma, and

baccalaureate nursing -programs.

Specialized competence Nurses demonstrate assessment skills; possess an understanding of
pharmacology, various branches of physical sciences, patho-physiology,
diagnostic tests, surgical procedures; and have skills to manage the
technical equipment used in client care. Many nurses hold certification
in specialized areas of nursing practice.
Control over work Nurses make independent judgments based on client situations
performance
and area of practice. Some nurses work in organizations that use
shared governance-and quality magement frameworks.
Service to society Nursing care focuses on the client system. Caring for others serves as a
major theme for most nursing theories. Nurses receive middle-income
pay for taking care of others.
Self-regulation Nurses. abide by the Nurse Practice Act of the state in which they
practice. Individual. ~ate boards of nursing regulate nursing practice.

Credentialing systems to Nurses take the National Certification Licensing Exam developed by
certify competence nurses which measures minimum competence for safe. nursing
practice. Nurses obtain certification in specialized areas of nursing
practice from nurse specialty organizations. Some states require
continuing education for continued-licensure.
Legal reinforcement of All nurses are held liable for their actions based on what the usual and
professional standards prudent nurse would do in a given client care situation. Individual state
boards of nursing have the power to restrict the practice of nursing
within a state.
Ethical practice The American Nurses' Association has published The Nurses'

Code of Ethics, last updated in 1985.

Intrinsic rewards Professional nursing organizations offer networking opportunities
Shared governance and clinical practice partnership models enhance
collegiality among staff nurses and nursing administration.
Public acceptance Many nurses derive a deep personal satisfaction from making a
difference in the lives of clients and families one person at a time. Some
nurses view the profession as an opportunity to practice religious beliefs
on a daily basis.
Creation of a collegial Nursing was ranked in the top 10 most respected professions (ANA;
subculture 2001).