Nursing Should Be Considered A Profession

In the words of Florence Nightingale, “Nursing is an art; and if it is to be made an art, it requires as exclusive a devotion, as hard a preparation, as any painter’s or sculptor’s work” (Nightingale, 1859, p. 7). For decades, nursing has been in high demand and very needed in the world. Without nurses, healthcare facilities would not be able to function properly and would not be able to fulfill the needs of patients and other healthcare staff members. However, over the years, there has been much controversy over the ongoing debate of whether nursing should be considered a profession. Because of the diverse culture within healthcare and the different roles that nurses play, some people may not classify nursing as a profession. I strongly believe …show more content…
2016. In Merriam-Webster.com). However, in order for an occupation to be considered a profession, it must meet several criteria. First, for an occupation to be considered a profession it must have a distinct, body of specialized knowledge. Along with this characteristic, a scientific method has to be used to enlarge the body of knowledge. An occupation must also have control of professional policy an activity to fit the criteria. The most important characteristic to be considered an occupation includes having a code of ethics which calls that each person be responsible for his or her responsibilities both legally and ethically. Going on and obtaining higher education is an extremely important aspect when deciphering if a profession is an occupation because nowadays employers will not hire people who have not obtained a degree. It has also been emphasized that a profession is something that requires commitment and people who put service before personal gain. Having autonomy is crucial to any profession and puts a lot of emphasis on accountability. The last criteria a profession must meet to be considered a profession is having competencies and a professional license (Keogh, 1997, p. 302-308). Though there are hundreds of criteria that make an occupation a profession, these are the key ones that allow …show more content…
Stereotypes have caused nurses to have a negative image about themselves, which causes them to have a lower self-esteem and lose confidence (Fletcher, 2007, p. 209). Nowadays, media has undermined nurses and portrayed them in a negative way that leads people to think that nursing is not a respected profession. For example, shows like Nurse Jackie degrade nursing and make it a fact that women are the doctor’s assistants. This perpetuates the illusion that nurses are mainly women and that nursing is not a respected profession. As a woman and an aspiring nursing student, I find this extremely offensive because I believe that nursing is a profession. With U.S News naming nursing as the most trusted profession, it is clear that nursing does not receive the credit that it should (Esposito, 2015). To be trusted, one must be responsible, reliable, and create a safe place with their patients that makes them feel comfortable. Just like in any other profession, you must have integrity and be responsible for your own actions. Nursing requires prolonged education that repeatedly reinforces and tests this responsibility and integrity. Again, this adds evidence to nursing being a profession. Additionally, in contrast to an occupation that involves guided decision making, the profession of nursing requires that decisions are based upon scientific or theoretical