Nursing as a Profession

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Nursing as a Profession

As I begun the pursuit to further my education I have been faced with the question of whether nursing is a true profession. During the nine years I have been a nurse I have thought nursing was a profession but as I have learned in my readings not everyone feels this way. Ronald M. Pavalko (social theorist) sighted eight dimensions describing a profession and I will quote some of it to show what nursing possesses. First, we must understand the definition of a profession before one can accurately judge the validation of the nursing profession. According to Webster dictionary, the definition of a profession is “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long academic preparation” (Webster dictionary, 2008). The nursing profession is one that needs specialized knowledge and training. It also applies to an occupation that requires formal education or qualification. The nursing field includes a set of skills that combines flexibility, creativity, knowledge and communication that are learnt in a formal setting. As we analyze the characteristics of a profession, we will incorporate it into the nursing profession to justify or disprove if nursing is truly a profession.

A profession has relevance to social values. The nursing profession is rooted in its ability to serve all people with their acquired skills. The nursing profession has the power to make a huge difference in today’s health care system. They advocate for the individuals and focuses not only on the treatment component of an individual, but also on prevention and health promotion. They also seek for the protecting of human and legal rights and the securing of adequate care based on the notion that the patient has the right to make informed decisions about their health. According to nursing standards (2010) “people value nurses but do not understand how complex the profession

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