INTRODUCTION TO A PROFESSION & THE NURSING PROFESSION

Mrs. Meri RabukaPPD Strand

Updated Jan, 2015…

Learning Outcome:1. Define profession.

2. Explain the criteria of a profession.

3. Explain the differences between a career, occupation, or job from a profession.

4. Compare nursing with regards to the criteria of a profession.

5. Compare other professions with regards to the criteria of a profession.

6. Discuss the improvements needed in the nursing profession in Fiji so as to meet the criteria of a profession.

7. Explain Benner’s 5 levels of proficiency and relate it to nursing.

8. Discuss the characteristic or nature of the nursing profession.

INTRODUCTION:• We all rely on professionals at many points of our lives –

from dentists to teachers, from pension managers to careers advisers, from town planners to paramedics.

• We rely on professionals to be experts and to know what to do when we need them to.

• Back in the nineteenth century, the professions were defined as law, religion, and medicine.

• Nowadays, the number of professions is much wider and ever-increasing, as occupations become more specialized in nature

• And more ‘professionalized’ in terms of requiring certain standards of initial and ongoing education – so that anything from automotive technicians to web designers can be defined as professionals.

CONTINUE…Professions are for you if you want:• an occupation which will help you to build your

skills and develop your expertise in a field which interests you;

• to keep learning, be challenged and stay up to date with the latest developments in your chosen area;

• to solve problems, do good work, and be involved in making decisions which help to improve people’s lives.

• to earn more money! Professionalism pays: people with professional body membership will earn more than those without.

Definition:

A paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification.

Oxford English Dictionary

CONTINUE…

A profession is a calling that requires special knowledge, skill and preparation.

An occupation that requires advanced knowledge and skills and that it grows out of society’s needs for special services.

http://nursingcrib.com/nursing-notes-reviewer/nursing-as-a-profession/

CONTINUE…

• A profession is something a little more than a job,

• it is a career for someone that wants to be part of society,

• who becomes competent in their chosen sector through training;

• maintains their skills through continuing professional development (CPD);

• and commits to behaving ethically, to protect the interests of the public.

Total professions.com

SIGNIFICANT PEOPLE /CRITERIA OF A PROFESSION…

• Ernest Greenwood – 1957

• Harold Wilensky - 1964

• Myron Lubell - 1978

• Michael Bayles - 1988

CRITERIAS OF A PROFESSION:

1. Systematic Theory: professionals have knowledge based on abstract principles, more so than operational procedures, and thus, must pursue an extensive formal education. Thus, it has a theoretical body of knowledge leading to defined skills, abilities and norms.

2. Authority: professionals have significant control over the nature and extent of the services that they render, because they serve clients who are generally unable to judge the quality of those services.

Continue….3. Community Sanction: professionals are subject to

licensure or certification that delineates varying degrees of occupational jurisdiction in accordance with criteria over which they have considerable influence.

4. Ethical Codes: professionals adhere to standards of behaviour that are explicit, systematic, binding, and public service-oriented; prescribe colleague relations that are cooperative, equalitarian, and supportive; and are enforced by their associations. It also protect its members and make it possible to practice effectively.

CONTNUE…5. Culture:

Professionals have a career orientation that leads them to high personal involvement with not only their colleagues but also with the people they serve.

This occurs whilst they provide a much needed service to the society which is specific in nature.

ANOTHER SET OF CRITERIA FOR A PROFESSION…

1. Requires prolonged, specialized training to acquire a body of knowledge pertinent to the role to be performed

2. An orientation of an individual towards service; either to a community or organization

3. Ongoing research: advance knowledge in its field.

4. A code of ethics

5. Autonomy: Members of a profession have autonomy in decision-making and practice.

6. A professional organization

CAREERS, OCCUPATIONS, JOBS??

• Compare with a profession…Discuss!!!!

Continue…

NURSING MATCHED AGAINST CRITERIA…

Does nursing meet all the criteria of a profession discussed above?

DISCUSS…

The nursing profession…Definition:

Nursing is a disciplined profession involved in the delivery of health care to the society.

Also, it is:

• a helping profession.

• service-oriented to maintain health and well-being of people.

• an art and a science.

NURSE - originated from a Latin word NUTRIX, to nourish.

CONTINUE…1. Systematic theory: Body of knowledge such as

nursing theories and more, contributed by nursing theorists etc. This is studied in a 3 year period through formal nursing education.

2. Authority: Nurse professionals serve clients autonomously equipped with the special nursing knowledge that they have and thus, able to make decisions in the service they provide to clients, work independently, responsibly, and areaccountable for all the services they provide. The higher a nurse goes up the professional ladder, the heavier the 3 above aspects weigh on the nurse’s shoulders.

CONTINUE….3. Community sanction: nurse professionals are

licensed to practice, and are registered as members of the nursing profession. This is updated regularly and is monitored by the nursing governing bodies such as the nursing councils, boards, or associations.

4. Ethical Codes: nurse professionals adhere to standards of behaviour that are explicit, systematic, binding, and public-service oriented. This are enforced by nursing councils, boards, and associations.

Continue…

5. Culture: Nurse professionals have a high personal involvement with clients or public with regards to the specialized service that they provide and they behave, communicate, and carry out those services in a manner that is appropriate for that profession. Such as abbreviations, jargons, medical terms, nursing procedures that are exclusively nursing.

Nursing is service-oriented, and many consider altruism (selfless concern for others) as the hallmark of the nursing profession.

OTHER CAREERS OR OCCUPATIONS????

Continue…

Characteristics of Nursing:

1. Nursing is caring.2. Nursing involves close personal contact with the

recipient of care.3. Nursing is concerned with services that take humans

into account as physiological, psychological, and sociological organisms.

4. Nursing is committed to promoting individual, family, community, and national health goals in its best manner possible.

5. Nursing is committed to personalized services for all persons without regard to color, creed, social or economic status.

6. Nursing is committed to involvement in ethical, legal, and political issues in the delivery of health care.

CONTINUE…Benner’s level of proficiency:

• Stage 1: No experience, performance is limited, inflexible, and governed by context-free rules and regulations rather than experience.

• Stage 2: Demonstrates marginally acceptable performance, recognizes the meaningful “aspects” of real situations and make judgments about them.

• Stage 3: Has 2-3 years experience. Receives situations as wholes rather than in terms of parts. Has holistic understanding of the client. Focuses on long term goals.

CONTINUE…

• Stage 4: Has 3-5years experience. Perceives situations as wholes rather than in terms of parts. Has holistic understanding of the client. Focuses on long term goals.

• Stage 5: Performance is fluid, flexible, and highly proficient. No longer requires rules, guidelines, or maxims to connect an understanding of the situation to appropriate action. Demonstrates highly skilled intuitive and analytic ability in new situations. Is inclined to take certain action because it felt right.

NURSING PROFESSION IN FIJI??

• Discuss…..

REFERENCES:http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/profession

http://www.totalprofessions.com/more-about-professions/what-is-a-profession

http://www.cram.com/flashcards/nurs-112-chapter-1-criteria-of-a-profession-socialization-to-nursing-964029

http://nursingcrib.com/nursing-notes-reviewer/nursing-as-a-profession/