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| No. 20 | 
Aug 02, 2007, 06:06 AM
 Re: Are nurses professional?(pr  -f  sh  -n l) adj. 1. a. Of, relating to, engaged in, or suitable for a profession: lawyers, doctors, and other professional people. b. Conforming to the standards of a profession: professional behavior. 2. Engaging in a given activity as a source of livelihood or as a career: a professional writer. 3. Performed by persons receiving pay: professional football. 4. Having or showing great skill; expert: a professional repair job. n. 1. A person following a profession, especially a learned profession. 2. One who earns a living in a given or implied occupation: hired a professional to decorate the house. 3. A skilled practitioner; an expert.
I think,as a job description,this about covers it.
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 21 |
Aug 03, 2007, 08:53 PM
Re: Are nurses professional?
Thank you to all to clarified for me that there ARE ADN programs that are 2 years that include what many ADNs have as pre-requisites. I stand corrected. I was basing my ideas on what I had to go thru in Michigan, pre-reqs before validating to the nursing program ADN of 2 years, or four semesters that are fall and spring only, not year-round...and what I knew of in New York State once upon a time (read, many years ago, lol).
Our program had 240 hours of clinicals in our last semester as well as class time, labs etc. and we had a limit of how many hours a week we could do clinicals (I think it was max. of 36 hours= 3 12hr. shifts). So I was just not able to wrap my brain around a 2 year program (four semesters) that existed. So sorry if I stepped on any toes.
Always learning, eh?
| | No. 22 |
Aug 04, 2007, 10:19 PM
 Re: Are nurses professional? Originally Posted by psalm  Thank you to all to clarified for me that there ARE ADN programs that are 2 years that include what many ADNs have as pre-requisites. I stand corrected. I was basing my ideas on what I had to go thru in Michigan, pre-reqs before validating to the nursing program ADN of 2 years, or four semesters that are fall and spring only, not year-round...and what I knew of in New York State once upon a time (read, many years ago, lol).
Our program had 240 hours of clinicals in our last semester as well as class time, labs etc. and we had a limit of how many hours a week we could do clinicals (I think it was max. of 36 hours= 3 12hr. shifts). So I was just not able to wrap my brain around a 2 year program (four semesters) that existed. So sorry if I stepped on any toes.
Always learning, eh?
Psalm,
My program was extensive too. Looking at my transcripts I had to take: Psych 101,English 101,Food & Nutrition 219, Anatomy/Physiology 132, Math 30, Sociology 101, Chem 143, Microbiology 110, Physiology 101,Chemistry 143, Psych 141 - all before going into the nursing program and then once I was accepted , more were added in addition to nursing classes.
| | No. 23 |
Aug 06, 2007, 07:20 PM
Re: Are nurses professional? Originally Posted by sconoli I am an LPN student and this past week, my class of "future nurses" has definitely made me question this also! I believe nursing is a profession, therefore, we should act professional. But in all honesty, I have seen the most unprofessional, immature, and rather embarassing behavior from some "future nurses." I'll admit, yes, it's a classroom full of women, but right now, they are acting like a bunch of grade school girls bullying each other. They have actually started to threaten bodily harm to each other! It's not just my class either, the local hospitals here have really went down the tubes also. The nurses have the most vulgar discussions about their sex lives right at the nurses station, and the pts. hear every word. Before I started school, I was admitted to the ob unit at my local hospital for low AFI, and as I was waiting for the nurse to come back to the room, I found out I was being admitted before she came in and told me I was, simply because she was ******** rather loudly, that now they had no more beds because of the new admit, ME! So IMHO, nursing is a profession, but some nursing just don't understand the meaning of professional behavior!! 
i just can't understand why people have no manners these days. i find it disgusting that these people discuss their sex lives in public.. i could care less about that and i probably would of told them it was inappropriate.. i love your post and wish i had some answers. i was brought up that ladies do not discuss vulgar things in public or personal for that matter. you are right it is unprofessional and no class. i agree with your post 100% and glad to hear you will be a " professional". take care and thank you
bethany R.N.  | | No. 24 |
Aug 06, 2007, 09:45 PM
Re: Are nurses professional?
In the broad sense of the term, yes, we are professionals. However, I believe there are a lot of distinctions that can be made within that broad definition.
There are the nurses who continue to develop their knowledge and skills throughout their careers. They see themselves as the voice of the patient. They DO NOT blindly follow a Physician's orders. If something seems off or wrong, they question it. They see themselves as a partner with the Physician and other disciplines to provide healing and wellness for the patient. They will go the extra mile. They try to understand the pt's story in as much depth as possible. These nurses build collaberation and teamwork within their team and other disciplines.
To me there is no question that the above describes a professional.
| | No. 25 |
Aug 06, 2007, 10:09 PM
Re: Are nurses professional? Originally Posted by psalm ...here we go again! There might have been a "two-year program" but did you include all the pre-req credits? No! There is no such thing as a two-year program, there is a two-year clinical, okay... but no one can be a registered nurse in 2 years, as in 24 months.
*** To the OP - Of course we are. True that all nurses don't act as professionals, but this is true of all the other professions as well. I am sure we have all seen some very non-professional behavior from doctors. I certainly have.
To the person who wrote the above. While I am sure what you say is correct in your area, it's not everyplace. I went to a community college program that took two years for an ADN RN. When I say 2 years I mean four, 4 month semesters, fall, spring, fall, spring. Because I was already an LPN (challenged the LPN NCLEX based on army medic experience) I got through in only two 4 month semesters.
I can name over a dozen community colleges where the ADN-RN program is designed to be done in 2 years.
IMO if an ADN program takes much longer than two years I would feel cheated and look into a BSN program.
| | No. 26 |
Aug 06, 2007, 10:19 PM
Re: Are nurses professional?
Regardless of the above, we should all behave professionally, whether an LPN, RN, NP, etc.
*** Absolutely. Well said.
We have all worked hard for our licenses and to maintain them thru CEUs and certifications for specialties.
*** Well, not trying argue here, but........... I didn't work very hard to get my license and keeping it is pretty easy. I DO work very hard in an ICU now though.
| | No. 27 |
Aug 06, 2007, 10:25 PM
Re: Are nurses professional? Originally Posted by Sensoria17 I don't know what the general public thinks but when my sister first starting working as an RN, one of her good friends got irritated that she was making considerably more than her "just for wiping asses".
*** Too bad that person can't observe an RN recovering a post op CABG while he is administering blood products, titrating 7 or 8 vaso-active drips and constantly preforming assessments.
One thing I find very frustrating is that, other than other nurses, hardly anyone understands what we do and how involved it is.
| | No. 29 |
Aug 26, 2007, 01:34 PM
Updated
Aug 26, 2007 at 01:44 PM by HealthyRN
Re: Are nurses professional?
I don't believe that it is appropriate to judge an entire profession on the basis of one individual. I doubt that inadequate education is the reason for this instructor's clinical incompetence. I would have known that these actions were inappropriate by the third year of my BSN program. How such an individual was able to "slip through the cracks" is worrisome, but there are a few of those in every profession.
The better question is what did you do to handle this situation? Did you act professionally and first discuss this with the instructor? Did you find out why the nurse did not seem to know such basic information? It certainly is not an excuse, but perhaps the instructor does not have experience in whatever area of nursing in which she is serving as an instructor. This is a common problem in nursing schools because there are not enough instructors and sometimes they are asked to take on assignments in which they are not familar. That is not an excuse, but I'm just trying to point out that there is always another side to a story. If the answer you received wasn't satisfying, did you act as concerned professional and take this problem through the proper channels? If so, I would hope that this instructor is being remediated and/or is no longer acting as an instructor on your unit.
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