Running head: ESSENTIAL VIII 1

e-Portfolio – Essential VIII: Professionalism and professional values

Meghan O’Neal

Frostburg State University

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e-Portfolio – Essential VIII: Professionalism and professional values

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing also abbreviated as AACN provides a

set of standards and expectations for the baccalaureate level of a nursing degree. Essential VIII

describes the definition of professionalism as well as what it means to perform professionally as

a nurse in the healthcare world. Essential VIII titled “Professionalism and professional values”

(2008, p 26) also focuses on ways for the nurse to promote professionalism which will ultimately

increase patient wellness outcomes. These essentials are in place to ensure that each patient is

receiving the best care possible from all professional members of the healthcare team. These

standards of care come from the evidence-based practice model that the nursing profession

follows. The evidence-based practice models often overlap with healthcare policy, finance, and

regulatory environments. With healthcare policies changing each year it is important to remain

up to date with the information presented in this essential VIII reference.

Exemplar

The Hot Topic paper consisted of many components which exemplified the requirements

for Essential VIII well. For example, this paper included not only a summary about stem cell

research, but also details regarding the legal precedence behind this hot topic. I was also able to

explain the various ethical viewpoints regarding such a controversial topic, as well as the ethical

viewpoints that correlated my own ethical values. This paper allowed me to also make a final

position statement in which I was able to provide support from various articles as to why stem

cell research should or not should not be supported.

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Reflection

The Hot Topic paper best exemplifies the balance that a nurse must maintain between

caring for her patients and being empathetic, versus also maintaining a professional relationship

and professional guidance when it comes to his or her care. The AACN (2008, p 27) states

“Professional nursing requires a balance between evidence-based knowledge, skills, and attitudes

and professional confidence, maturity, caring, and compassion. In this global society, patient

populations are increasingly diverse.” Stem cell research has been and will continue to be a

controversial topic and many healthcare professionals continue to have discrepancies when it

comes to this type of research. This paper allowed me to provide fact based information

regarding both viewpoints of stem cell research. This allowed for a balance to appear between

my own position statement based upon my ethical values and the opinion of other healthcare

professionals. The caring and compassion that can be viewed from my own ethical viewpoints

also directly reflects the ideas presented in the Essentials VIII. Essentials VIII also describes the

expectations of the baccalaureate graduate and her ability to be prepared when faced with ethical

dilemmas in the nursing field. With the help from a variety of articles and different ethical

viewpoints I was able to make a position statement which represents these expectations of the

baccalaureate graduate (2008, p 27). In addition to the position statement this paper also meets

the other requirements explained via words like social justice, altruism, autonomy, human

dignity, and integrity. My ability to separate and evaluate the different viewpoints regarding stem

cell research directly correlates with the above requirements. Instead of only representing the

pros of stem cell research I provided valid viewpoints from the non-supportive side as well in

order to show my professionalism as a nurse. The AACN (2008, p 27) states “Honesty

and acting ethically are two key elements of professional behavior, which have a major impact
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on patient safety.” The honesty in this paper is displayed from this idea of representing both the

pros and cons of stem cell research. These ideas not only promote the nurse as a professional

figure but also guarantee that patients are receiving safe and evidence-based practice care.
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References

American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN]. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate

education for professional nursing practice. Washington, D.C: Author.