NURSING AS A PROFESSION

Objectives
This lecture-presentation is geared
towards understanding, integrating
and applying the concepts on
Nursing as a Profession.
1) Define the concepts of nursing,
profession, nursing profession,
professional nurse;
2) Enumerate the requirements
specified by law for nurses to be
called professionals; and
3) Cite the roles/functions of the
professional nurse as integrated
into the fields of practice.
 Requirements
• Active class participation
• Recitation
• Quiz
 NURSING
[Nightingale & Henderson, ANA/PNA]

• “… utilizing the environment of the

patient to assist him in his recovery”.
• “… assisting an individual, sick or well
in the performance of those activities
that contributes to its health and
recovery”.
• “… the diagnosing and treating of
human responses to actual or
potential health problems in IFGC”.
 PROFESSION
• An occupation or calling requiring
advanced training
• Experience in some specific or
specialized body of knowledge
• Provides service to society
• The term profession is honoric and
should be carried with pride and
honor.
Criteria of a Profession
• Specialized Education
• Body of Knowledge
• Service Orientation
• Ongoing Research
• Code of Ethics
• Autonomy
• Professional Organization
Criteria of a Profession
• Specialized Education
– An important aspect of professional status
– Requires prolonged extensive education
to acquire special knowledge, skill and
preparation
Criteria of a Profession
• Body of Knowledge
– as a profession, nursing is establishing a
well-defined body of knowledge and
expertise.
– A number of conceptual frameworks that
contribute to the knowledge base of
nursing and give direction to nursing
practice, education and on-going
research.
Criteria of a Profession
• Service Orientation
– A service orientation differentiates nursing
from an occupation pursued primarily for
profit.
– Many considers altruism (selfless concern
for others) the hallmark of a profession.
– This service, however, must be guided by
rules, policies or Code of Ethics
– Today, nursing is an important component
of the health care delivery system
Criteria of a Profession
• Ongoing Research
– Increasing research in nursing is contributing
to nursing practice.
• Code of Ethics
– Nurses have traditionally placed a high value
on the worth and dignity of others.
– The nursing profession requires integrity of it
members; that is, a member is expected to do
what is considered right regardless of the
personal cost
Criteria of a Profession
• Autonomy
– A profession is autonomous if it regulates itself and
sets standards for its members.
– Purpose of professional associations (ANA, CAN,
PNA)
– To be autonomous, a professional group must be
granted legal authority to define its scope of
practice, decrib3ed its particular function and roles,
and determines its goals and responsibilities in the
delivery of its services
– To nursing practitioners, autonomy means
independence at work, responsibility, and
accountability for one’s actions.
Criteria of a Profession
• Professional Organization
– Operation under the umbrella of a
professional organization differentiates a
profession from an occupation
– Governance is the establishment and
maintenance of social, political, and economic
arrangements by which practitioners control
their practice, their self-discipline, their
working conditions and their professional
affairs
– Nurses therefore, need to work within their
professional organizations
 NURSING PROFESSION

Nursing is considered as a
profession since it possesses the
primary characteristics…
 Education

Code of
Theory
Ethics
CARE

Autonomy Service
CHARACTERISTICS OF
NURSING
1. Nursing is caring.
2. Involves close personal
contact with the recipient of
care.
3. Concerned services (human
as physiological, psychological
and sociological organism)
4. Committed to personalized services
regardless of color, creed or social
or economic status.
5. Committed to promoting individual,
family, community and national
health goals.
6. Committed to involvement in ethical,
legal and political issues in the
delivery of health care.
 FUNDAMENTAL
RESPONSIBILITIES OF A NURSE

1)Promotion of Health
2)Prevention of Illness
3)Restoration of Health
4)Alleviation of Suffering
PROFESSIONAL NURSING
• An art and science, dominated by an
ideal of service in which certain
principles are applied in skillful care
of the well and the ill through
established relationship with the
client, significant others and other
members of the health care team.
What’s the Demarcation Line b/w A
Vocation and a Profession?
• RA 7164, [1991] states:
–“… a person shall be deemed
to be practicing nursing when
for a fee, salary or other
reward or compensation,
singly or in collaboration with
another”.
 Scope of Nursing
[RA 9173/Nursing Law]

• Art.VI Sect.28
– “Scope of Nursing. - A person shall
be deemed to be practicing nursing
within the meaning of this Act when
he/she singly or in collaboration with
another, initiates and performs
nursing services to individuals,
families and communities in any
health care setting.
 Scope of Nursing
[RA 9173/Nursing Law]

• Art.VI Sect.28
– It includes, but not limited to, nursing
care during conception, labor,
delivery, infancy, childhood, toddler,
preschool, school age, adolescence,
adulthood, and old age. As
independent practitioners, nurses are
primarily responsible for the
promotion of health and prevention of
illness.
 Scope of Nursing
[RA 9173/Nursing Law]

• Art.VI Sect.28
– A members of the health team,
nurses shall collaborate with other
health care providers for the curative,
preventive, and rehabilitative aspects
of care, restoration of health,
alleviation of suffering, and when
recovery is not possible, towards a
peaceful death.
 Scope of Nursing
[RA 9173/Nursing Law]

• Art.VI Sect.28
– A members of the health team,
nurses shall collaborate with other
health care providers for the curative,
preventive, and rehabilitative aspects
of care, restoration of health,
alleviation of suffering, and when
recovery is not possible, towards a
peaceful death.
Utilization of
Nursing
Process

Undertake nursing and

health human resource
Linkages in development training
the community and research

Teach, guide and

Health supervise students in
nursing
Education
education progress
 • Therapeutic use of
self
• Primary Health
Care
• Comfort measures
Utilization • Health Teachings
• Administration of
of Nursing written prescription
Process • Therapies
• Internal Exam
during labor in the
absence of
bleeding
• Suturing of perineal
laceration
PROFESSIONAL NURSE
• One who has acquired the art
and science of nursing through
basic nursing education
programs
• Licensed in his/her country
PROFESSIONAL NURSE
• One who interprets her role in
nursing in terms of the social ends
for which it exists – the health and
welfare of society and who
continues to add to his/her KSA
through CE and scientific inquiry
 Bridging the G A P
Criteria
1. Educational background
required to ensure safe and
effective practice.
What Do We Have?
Subjects in Nursing: FN,
CHN, MCHN, MS, Psychia…

2. Adhere to a Code of Ethics Code of Ethics for Filipino

Nurses
3. Professional Organizations PNA, NLGN, ORNAP,
RENAP, MCNAP, ANSAP,
ADPCN, OHNAP
4. Continuing Education Trainings and Seminars;
MN/MSN/MAN, DNS, PhD
5. Professional publish and Phil. Journal of Nursing,
communicate their knowledge books
 Bridging the G A P
Criteria What Do We Have?
6. Autonomous practice PRC BON
7. Community involvement DOH , COPAR
8. Develops, evaluates and Nightingale, Henderson’s
uses theory as a basis for Theory, etc. Research
practice.
9. Expanding the EBP researches
profession’s knowledge
base to ensure the most
up-to-date safe and
effective practices.
QUALIFICATIONS OF A
PROFESSIONAL NURSE
• Completed BS Nursing
• NLE Passer
• Physically and Mentally fit
 ABILITIES OF A
PROFESSIONAL NURSE
• Has faith in the fundamental
values that underlie the democratic
way of life.
• Has sense of responsibility for
understanding his working
environment.
• Has faith in the reality and
aesthetic values and awareness of
the value/pleasure of dev’t.
• Has basic K.S.A to address the
present day social problem.
Realistic. Well-organized thoughts.
Critical Thinking.
• Has communication skills.
• Appreciates and understands the
importance of good health.
• Has emotional balance.
• Likes hard work and possesses a
capacity for it.
• Accepts and tries to understand
people of all sorts.
• Knows nursing so thoroughly that
every client will receive excellent
care.
 ROLES OF A NURSE
Direct Care Leader
Provider

Communicator Case Manager

Teacher Researcher

Counselor Collaborator
Client Advocate
~THANK YOU~