I am writing this letter to address the importance of studying the discipline of nursing. This is an ideal question for me to answer having gone through the rite of passage from an enrolled nurse to a registered nurse. The subject matter is clear to me and something that has always been at the back of my mind whilst I executed my duties. Nurses have a responsibility to articulate the unique contributions that have significantly impacted the healthcare system and its benefits to the society (Pharris & Endo, 2007; Koerner, 1993). Koerner’s example of articulating the work of nurses, allegedly comparable in thematic to the fiction classic of “Alice in Wonderland”, on discovering one’s self and the importance of knowing one’s purpose of existence;
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With its meaning unpacked, it is basically a reminder to acknowledge, embrace and internalize our roots – a saying that resonates true even in the nursing domain; studying the discipline of nursing gives meaning to our existence as nurses. Lewenson (2004) wrote if nurses understand their own history, a sense of identity and connection towards this profession will be developed. She asserted further, if nurses do not, they should not expect the future generation of nurses to comprehend the role and responsibilities that are significant to this profession. A professional identity encompasses of what a person wants to be known for and how they can define themselves by incorporating the elements that make them who they are, hence, affecting both external and internal views on nursing. Unlike history, the development of an identity cannot be solely based on theoretical knowledge but rather developed through the interactions and explorations of nurses’ engagement with their social environments (Willets & Clarke, 2013). Toit (1995) supported that our identity; nursing, is shaped by the values, beliefs, norms and ethical conducts that symbolise us. So, it is obscure to describe entirely the uniqueness of our professional identity to the society (Willets & Clarke, 2004) without encompassing the interactions that determine the relationships we established within our social environment and giving meaning to our practice (Lewis, 1998). In consequence, an adequate understanding of our nursing identity must assimilate the manifold frameworks that we undertake in practice. Therefore, we need to care for this discipline and eventually define ourselves through our rich history because only then can we function more adequately in different situations despite unforthcoming circumstances in our practice as a
With its meaning unpacked, it is basically a reminder to acknowledge, embrace and internalize our roots – a saying that resonates true even in the nursing domain; studying the discipline of nursing gives meaning to our existence as nurses. Lewenson (2004) wrote if nurses understand their own history, a sense of identity and connection towards this profession will be developed. She asserted further, if nurses do not, they should not expect the future generation of nurses to comprehend the role and responsibilities that are significant to this profession. A professional identity encompasses of what a person wants to be known for and how they can define themselves by incorporating the elements that make them who they are, hence, affecting both external and internal views on nursing. Unlike history, the development of an identity cannot be solely based on theoretical knowledge but rather developed through the interactions and explorations of nurses’ engagement with their social environments (Willets & Clarke, 2013). Toit (1995) supported that our identity; nursing, is shaped by the values, beliefs, norms and ethical conducts that symbolise us. So, it is obscure to describe entirely the uniqueness of our professional identity to the society (Willets & Clarke, 2004) without encompassing the interactions that determine the relationships we established within our social environment and giving meaning to our practice (Lewis, 1998). In consequence, an adequate understanding of our nursing identity must assimilate the manifold frameworks that we undertake in practice. Therefore, we need to care for this discipline and eventually define ourselves through our rich history because only then can we function more adequately in different situations despite unforthcoming circumstances in our practice as a