Professionalism In The Nursing World

Nursing is identified as a profession because it requires extensive education and specialized training. However, simply working in a defined profession or career does not automatically make one a professional. Professionalism involves much more than degrees, credentials, and experience. What are the attributes that establish professional behavior and how is professionalism perceived in the nursing world? As defined by Epstein and Hundert, professional competence is the habitual and judicious use of communication, knowledge, technical skills, clinical reasoning, emotions, values, and reflection in daily practice for the benefit of the individual and community being served.
Although, there are many different careers in the world, the keys in …show more content…
The way a nurse’s hair, nails, skin, body odor, uniform, shoes, breath, posture, and body language are will indeed be judged; yielding positive or negative results. A professional appearance would be that of a nurse that is well groomed, clean, fresh, with a uniform that fits appropriately and in good condition, and body language that sends a message of genuine care towards the patient. A well groomed look makes the statement that you care about yourself as a person and therefore have the capacity to care about others. People that look sloppy may be perceived by others as unorganized, lazy, and uncaring. Secondly, a positive attitude plays a role in maintaining professionalism and compliments a clean and neat physical appearance. The way a nurse portrays their feelings about life and the uncontrollable circumstances of life speak volumes to co workers, patients, and family members of patients. Next, a nurse’s interpersonal skills and speech can convey whether or not they are a professional. When a nurse does not communicate well and fails to provide proper bedside manner with patients and families, a negative impression will be made about their nursing skills and therefore take away from their credibility and