Compise,_Madison__Professional_Nursing_Essay_Quiz#1

Professional Nursing Essay Madison Compise California State University, Fullerton NURS 305 Professional Nursing I Monina Distor-Castro, MSN, RN, FNP-BC 5 September 2013 What defines a profession' Many people will say they are professionals at what they do for a living. They may say they are a professional basketball player, a professional listener, a professional cook, or a professional nurse. Even the president of the United States may say he is part of a profession. What exactly makes a person part of a profession' This research paper will go on to explain the characteristics of a profession and how to better identify a profession from a non-profession. It will also address the question of why nursing is a profession but being president of the United States is not a profession. According to Saewert (2011) “a profession is defined as an occupation that meets specified criteria beyond that of an occupation” (p. 44). A profession is characterized by prolonged education that takes place in a college or university and results in the acquisition of a body of knowledge based on theory and research. Values, beliefs, and ethics relating to the profession are integral parts of the educational preparation (Saewert, 2011, p. 44-45). Ethics and values are extremely important to the nursing profession, as this is how nurses base their practice. Without these principles nurses would not feel individual accountability for their actions or decisions. Since we are on the topic of accountability it seems appropriate to discuss some other characteristics of a profession. Many authors, beginning with Flexner, have added, modified and amplified what they believe are criteria of a profession. This section will discuss some of the more important characteristics. A specified body of knowledge and altruism are two of the more accepted and acknowledged characteristics across the board. Saewert (2011) describes professional knowledge as unique, requiring an extended amount of schooling or training. This is definitely a characteristic of nursing, as nurses must go through at least a two-year program before licensure. It is also important to understand not many people outside the nursing profession know what nurses know, and this knowledge is important to society (Saewert, 2011). Altruism, meaning the desire to help others, is also characteristic of nursing. Nurses desire to help others, or benefit the public if you will to display that they are not self-serving (Saewert, 2011). Some other characteristics of a profession are an established research-based theoretical framework, a code of ethics, having a strong internal organization of members, and autonomy (Saewert, 2011). Reasons for why nursing is a profession have been covered in detail. So why is the current president of the United States, President Obama, not considered as being part of a profession' First of all this is a one-person job. The president may have graduated from a prestige university, but he did not go to school specifically to be a president. Meaning being president cannot be taught through the process of professional education, which is one criteria of a profession (Saewert, 2011). There is also no research-based theoretical framework the president can base his career decisions on. Although there is a code of ethics for government services, there is not one specifically for the president. Nursing is an important profession for the people of society. Nurses strive to put patients in a state of optimal well-being. Nurses; however must first graduate from an accredited program, and follow a code of ethics as well as a theoretical framework so they can be safe in their practice as a professional. “The status of nursing as a profession is important because it reflects the value society places on the work of nurses and the centrality of this work to the good of society” (Saewert, 2011, p. 47). References Saewert, K. J. (2011). Socialization to Professional Nursing. In J. Creasia, E. Friberg (5th ed.), Conceptual foundations: A bridge to professional nursing practice (pp. 42-70). St. Louis, MO: Mosby.