NURSING AS A PROFESSION

Marjorie G. Romano

Profession
An occupation or calling requiring advanced training and experience in some specific or specialized body of knowledge which provides service to the society in that special field

Nursing as a Profession

Nursing is an occupation requiring a unique body of knowledge and skills and which serves society

Criteria of a Profession
William Shepard a profession must; 1. Satisfy an indispensible social need and must be based upon well established and socially accepted scientific principles. 2. Demand adequate pre-professional and cultural training. 3. Demand the possession of a body of specialized and systematized training. 4. Give evidence of needed skills which are partly inherent and partly acquired.

Criteria of a Profession
5. Have developed a scientific technique which is the result of tested experience. 6. Require the exercise of discretion and judgment as to time and manner of the performance of duty. In contrast to the kind of work which is subject to standardization in terms of unit performance or time element. 7. Have a group of consciousness designed to extend scientific knowledge in technical language.

Criteria of a Profession
8. Have sufficient self-impelling power to retain its members throughout life. It must not be used as a mere stepping stone to other occupations. 9. Recognize its obligations to society by insisting that its members live up to an established code of ethics.

Qualities of a Profession
Flexner cited profession as follows; 1. Applies body of knowledge in practical services vital to human welfare, and suited to tradition of practitioners shaping the skills of newcomers to the role. 2. Constantly enlarges the body of knowledge and impose on its members a lifelong obligation to remain current. 3. Functions autonomously 4. Utilizes its practice in well-defined and weelorganized body of knowledge

5. Has clear standard of educational preparation. 6. Distinguished by the presence of specific culture, norms, and other values that are common among its members.

Genevieve K & Roy Bixler

Specialized knowledge Expands knowledge by scientific method Institutions of higher education Services vital to human and social welfare Autonomously forms professional policy Intellectual and personal qualities Compensation = freedom, professional growth and economic security

Professional Nurse
A professional nurse is a person who has completed a basic nursing education program and is licensed in his/her country or state to practice professional nursing

BSN Degree

Passed the nursing licensure examination

Taken an oath as a nurse before the Board or any officer authorized to given an oath.

The scope of nursing means the extent or range of health care activities which a nurse can do or perform pursuant to law.

A professions scope of nursing encompasses the activities its practitioners are educated and authorized to perform. The overall scope of practice for the profession sets the outer limits of practice for all practitioners.

It is a legal nursing practice under section 28 of R.A 9173 when a licensed nurse performs: a) Nursing services, whether singly or collaboratively, to individuals, families and communities in any health care setting.

b) Nursing care whether singly or collaboratively, during conception, labor, delivery, infancy, childhood, toddler, pre-school, school age, adolescence, adult and old age or basically in any age group/stage of development.

c) Nursing action as independent practitioners for the promotion of health and prevention of illness.

d) Collaborative work with other health care professionals for the curative, preventive and rehabilitative aspects of care, restoration of health, alleviation of suffering, and when recovery is not possible toward a peaceful death.

Duties of a nurse : a) To provide nursing care through the utilization of the nursing process. b) To establish linkages with community resources and coordination with the health team c) To provide health education to individuals, families and communities. d) To teach, guide and supervise students in nursing education programs including the administration of nursing services in varied settings such as hospitals and clinics.; undertake consultation services; engage in such activities that require the utilization of knowledge and decision making skills of a registered nurse. e) To undertake nursing and health human resource development training and research which shall include, but not limited to the development of nursing practice.

(Section 28)(a) Provide nursing care through the utilization of the nursing process. Nursing care includes, but not limited to, traditional and innovative approaches, therapeutic use of self, executing health care techniques and procedures, essential primary health care, comfort measures, health teachings, and administration of written prescription for treatment, therapies, oral topical and parenteral medications, internal examination during labor in the absence of antenatal bleeding and delivery. In case of suturing of perineal laceration, special training shall be provided according to protocol established;

Professional Preparation
A nurse must; 1. Have a license 2. BSN graduate 3. Physically and mentally fit

Personal Qualities & Professional Proficiencies

Includes; 1. Interest and willingness 2. Warm personality and concern 3. Resourceful, creative and balanced emotional condition 4. Can work with others 5. Improves self and service 6. Competent 7. Skillful in decision-making , communication, relating to others and research 8. Active in confronting nursing issues.

BSN Curriculum
Terminal Competencies 1. Utilize the nursing process 1.1. assessing the client s health care status, 1.2. planning with client on what action for identified needs and problems, 1.3. implement nursing intervention, 1.4. modifies intervention, and 1.5. evaluates results

2. Communicates effectively by 2.1. applying therapeutic use of self , 2.2. documenting & reporting, 2.3. relating, 3. Utilizes elements of management by 3.1. utilizes management process, 3.2. participates, 3.3.works independently or in collaboration 4. Utilize research findings

5. Assumes responsibility for personal and professional growth by 5.1. promoting professional growth, 5.2. accepting accountability for professional action, and, 5.3. participating in the solution of health/social problems.

Overall BSN Program

1. Caring behavior (compassionate, competent and committed); 2. Ability to practice legal, ethico-moral, social responsibilities/accountabilities; 3. Critical and creative thinking; and 4. Skill in practicing S-K-A and values