NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge
Is nursing considered both a discipline and a profession?
- The fundamental principle of nursing is that nurses incorporate their humanity into a compassionate approach, where each nurse consciously choose how to fulfill their role as a nurse and how to engage with others. Fundamentally, nursing revolves around establishing connections and fostering relationships. It is crucial to contemplate the implications of nursing being classified as both a discipline and a profession. To preserve the essence and ideal nature of nursing, it is imperative that we uphold the fundamental principles and knowledge base that form the disciplinary foundation of this profession. The concept revolves around providing assistance to individuals who require the care of a nurse.
- In my opinion, nursing can be classified as both a discipline and a profession. Nevertheless, I believe that in our present healthcare environments, nurses face the danger of neglecting their fundamental principles and values – they run the risk of compromising the core essence of nursing. The primary catalyst for this danger is comprised of elements originating from the nurse themselves, as well as the surrounding environment, or the dynamic interplay between nurses and their settings. These factors divert attention away from the fundamental principles of nursing and instead prioritize a technical perspective on the human experience in relation to health and illness. By focusing solely on the technical components of care, tasks, and the technology employed in healthcare, without considering the significance of human nature and interpersonal relationships, one fails to capture the true essence of nursing. Instead, this emphasis is a reflection of the common tasks that nurses often perform.
The field of nursing is considered a discipline.
Nursing is unique and separate from other fields of study. However, nurses themselves sometimes struggle to clearly express the definition of nursing. During my time in a mental health organization, I observed a situation when nurses were posed with the question, “What does mental health nursing entail?” They frequently emphasized nursing tasks and responsibilities to highlight the unique nature of nursing compared to other fields. Nevertheless, it is possible that several of the mentioned activities could be delegated to other employees. Curiously, the patients’ comments when questioned about nursing were more indicative of the fundamental nature of nurses. The discussion revolved around the impactful presence and attentive listening of nurses, which significantly influenced their healthcare experience and recuperation. If nurses face difficulties in expressing the significance of nursing, how can they effectively convey to society the importance and indispensability of their profession? Consequently, nurses must comprehend and analyze the essence of nursing. NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge.
Nursing is a multifaceted field that demands more than just proficiency in technical abilities. Although technological competency is necessary and significant, it alone is not enough. Here are some concepts regarding how nursing fulfills the criteria of becoming a discipline. As you go in this course and the nursing school, I encourage you to revisit these concepts to deepen your comprehension of the nursing profession.
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From an academic perspective, nursing is considered a discipline due to its distinct field of study and dedicated areas of learning. Nurses get education specifically focused on the knowledge and expertise within the nursing profession.
- Nursing possesses unique epistemological approaches to knowledge and cognition that set it apart from other academic fields.
- Nursing utilizes specialized terminology to communicate its societal function. • Nursing is built upon scientific ideas and philosophies that form the basis for discipline-specific knowledge.
The field of nursing focuses specifically on nursing’s principles, heritage, traditions, and the advancement of knowledge to promote caring, humanity, and health for all, distinguishing it from other disciplines like medicine.
- The discipline of nursing is based on nursing’s unique understanding of ‘being’, which differs from other disciplines like medicine. Nursing focuses on the holistic well-being of the individual and embraces a relational and unified worldview. • Nursing’s philosophical orientation towards humanity and its ethical commitment to the well-being of all people is distinct from other disciplines, such as medicine.
- The field of nursing is shaped by its own ideas, focus on knowledge production, and criteria for what is considered knowledge. It is not influenced by the perspectives of other disciplines and extends beyond traditional Western scientific and medical ways of understanding.
- The discipline of nursing is distinct from other disciplines, such as medicine, in terms of its research traditions and growing approaches to knowledge generation. Nursing has its own distinctive orientation to knowledge and also engages in discussions and criticisms about what should be considered as valid information.
- The field of nursing encompasses a range of enlarged, diverse, creative, and inventive techniques and approaches that are specific to nursing and distinct from other disciplines such as medicine. These methodologies and methods are aligned with the principles of human caring-healing, as well as the experiences and phenomena related to health and illness.
An explicit disciplinary framework is necessary to direct the advancement of the nursing profession. In the absence of a disciplinary framework for knowledge and practice, the nursing profession may be compelled to adopt a purely technical perspective on human experiences. This technical perspective differs from the nursing discipline’s holistic viewpoint, which encompasses the interconnectedness of the mind, soul, and body. NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge.
The field of nursing as a vocation
In order for the nursing profession to thrive and be successful, it need a strong disciplinary basis of knowledge and practice. Additionally, nursing deserves the acknowledgment and respect that society often attributes to a profession. The criteria used to define a profession differ from those used to describe a discipline, and a profession encompasses more than just a job. Professional nursing, such as being a Registered Nurse (RN), is distinguished from practical nursing, such as being a Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) in Ontario, by having higher educational prerequisites and a more intricate range of responsibilities.
While there are multiple criteria that can be considered when determining if a career or field can be classified as a profession, the following five categories are particularly applicable to nursing.
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Higher education institutions
A profession should have a well-defined educational route leading to practice and a continuously expanding body of knowledge within higher education institutions. Its educational objective is to equip students with the practical skills and theoretical foundation necessary to deliver safe and efficient healthcare as essential members of the inter-professional healthcare team.
- Not all nations have a uniform route to becoming a Registered Nurse (RN); certain nations, such the Canadian province of Quebec, do not mandate a bachelor’s degree as a prerequisite for practice; a diploma is deemed satisfactory.
- Since 2005, a baccalaureate has been mandatory for entrance into practice in Ontario.
- In Canada, all nursing graduates who wish to become registered nurses (RNs) are required to take the NCLEX-RN examination, with the exception of Quebec, which administers its own exam.
The nursing profession is consistently broadening its range of responsibilities and pushing its staff to pursue further education. For instance,
- In Ontario, registered nurses are now authorized to prescribe medication.
- The College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) has a Quality Assurance Program.
Practice Autonomy
One defining characteristic of a profession is that, with legal authority, it has the autonomy to establish policies and oversee its own professional standards and the actions of its members. Nursing in Ontario demonstrates autonomy.
- The primary objective of CNO aligns with this category.
- The CNO is responsible for formulating and implementing regulations and standards.
- Nurses have individual autonomy within the framework of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and their respective workplaces, although this autonomy may be subject to variation based on workplace regulations. NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge.
Compliance with a pre-established set of ethical principles
- In Canada, there are codes of ethics at both the provincial/territorial and national levels. Similarly, nursing organizations in other nations have their own codes of ethics.
- The CNO and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) have ethics documents that define the core values of nursing in Ontario/Canada, set the limits of nursing responsibilities, and express the ethical obligations of nurses.
- These documents from the CNO and CNA outline the principles, duties, and commitments of the nursing profession, ensuring that the public comprehends the societal agreement of nursing and can anticipate that all nurses they encounter will adhere to ethical standards.
Increasing the breadth and depth of knowledge
- Being recognized as a profession involves having a clearly defined and structured body of information that can be effectively utilized in the intricate healthcare setting. Knowledge in the field of nursing exists, although its scope and depth are continuously expanding. The level of established knowledge varies across different fields of nursing.
- Nursing is a dynamic profession that requires nurses to stay up-to-date and well-informed about the latest advancements in healthcare procedures.
- Nurses must have a comprehensive understanding of evidence-informed practice in order to demonstrate a strong knowledge base.
- Nurses must engage with research in various capacities, starting from utilizing research findings to improve their own practice as a registered nurse (e.g., incorporating others’ study results) and progressing to becoming a PhD-prepared researcher who performs and oversees research.
- All nurses registered with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) are required to take part in the CNO’s Quality Assurance Program.
Shared cultural norms and values among individuals. NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge.
A profession typically exhibits a shared culture and set of values. An effective approach to cultivate and uphold a nursing culture and promote consistent values among professionals is to establish and enforce professional standards, such as
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- The CNO standards and guidelines in Ontario outline the expectations for nurses in the province.
- At the national level, the CNA code of ethics and the framework for the practice of registered nurses (RNs) establish the specific responsibilities and standards that nurses in Canada are required to adhere to.
An essential aspect of the nursing profession is the establishment of a culture that values and promotes altruism, excellence, care, ethics, respect, communication, and accountability.
- This culture originates inside the boundaries of nursing education.
- Caring is a fundamental principle of nursing education that is emphasized in undergraduate nursing programs.
- Student nurses are taught that the practice of nursing encompasses all aspects of patient care, including both artistic and scientific elements.
- Emphasizing the patient’s demands is of utmost importance for nursing students as they establish a rapport with the patient. Establishing a rapport with the patient is an integral aspect in initiating compassionate and suitable care. NURS 1511: Professionalism and Nursing Knowledge.
- The development of fundamental principles in the education of a student nurse contributes to the promotion of a robust culture of compassion in the nursing profession. The field of nursing is responsible for upholding enduring values, preserving its historical legacy and customs, and fostering the growth of knowledge to ensure the provision of care, empathy, and well-being for everyone. The discipline encompasses and upholds the ontology of the complete individual, which includes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, spirit, and a unified worldview.