Are nurses professionals ?

[lauralassie]

O.K. our nursing license in Ohio says, "The profession of Nursing". :mortarboard: However, I am looking for a new job and several places list nursing in their own catagory, not under professional. Social workers, IS people are under professional catagory. I don't get it, Then, to top it off. I said something to my husband of 26 years about it and he said. " No, nurses arn't professionals, professionals are people like administators" etc... I love my husband dearly, but that's kind of like ...does my butt look big in these pants type question. BZZZZT ....Wrong answer ! Any way,,,back to the subject. Just from some attitudes from admin at work, I feel hospitals are looking at the staff nurse as any other worker. I work for a magnet hsopital in Columbus, they boast all kinds of things in newspapers, radio and TV, but when it comes to education, nurse satisfaction, imporvement of skills etc,,(such as requiring CCRN, CEN etc..), they say comments like , "it's not in our budget". :barf01:Are we as nurses loosing ground?

[clee1]

Did you ever open a can of worms.

You are gonna get the snide "If all nurses were BSNs we would be" and the like.

Nurse ARE professionals; just not everyone sees it that way.

[nynurse2be]

Nurses ARE professionals.

However....I think the general public has a perception of nurses as less-than professional, as "yes-men" to doctors and administrators.

This might get me flamed but here it is: I think that nurses themselves don't help if they act like they are not professionals: i.e. not demanding fair wages, a voice in management, taking on too much and putting themselves at risk. Yes, the patient comes first. But IMO, NOT at the expense of the nurse.

[CelticNurse]

I might be out on a limb here but I think a more succint answer is that some are.......and some are not!

Discuss.

[styRN]

absolutely

those in the nursing profession in my province are governed by, among other things, the regulated health professions act. we are highly-egulated, licenced professionals, subject to public scrutiny and required to maintain a very high level of professionalism/standards and can be found guilty of professional misconduct if we fail to meet the standards.

about the regulated health professions act, 1991

• the regulated health professions act (rhpa) is an omnibus or umbrella law, which applies equally to 23 health professions. these professions include: audiologists, chiropodists, chiropractors, dental hygienists, dentists, denturists, dietitians, massage therapists, medical laboratory technologists, medical radiation technologists, midwives, registered nurses and registered practical nurses, occupational therapists, opticians, optometrists, pharmacists, physicians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, psychologists, respiratory therapists, and speech-language pathologists.
  
• the rhpa also includes a procedural code, which sets common rules of procedure for the college of respiratory therapists of ontario and all the 21 health regulatory colleges.

regulations made by the ministry of health & long-term care, under the rhpa

• funding for therapy or counselling for patients sexually abused by members (february 16, 1994)
  
• controlled acts (forms of energy & exemptions) (november 30, 1996)
  
• certificates of authorization (for professional corporations) (february 8, 2002)

[lauralassie]

Nurses ARE professionals.

However....I think the general public has a perception of nurses as less-than professional, as "yes-men" to doctors and administrators.

This might get me flamed but here it is: I think that nurses themselves don't help if they act like they are not professionals: i.e. not demanding fair wages, a voice in management, taking on too much and putting themselves at risk. Yes, the patient comes first. But IMO, NOT at the expense of the nurse.

I think you'r correct . Nurses come to work unkeept and attitudes are not professional many time.

[BJLynn]

Yup, I'd say so. I'd also say that there are some nurses with a less than professional attitude.

pro-fes-sion-al /prəˈfɛʃənl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[pruh-fesh-uh-nl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation -adjective

1.following an occupation as a means of livelihood or for gain: a professional builder.

2.of, pertaining to, or connected with a profession: professional studies.

3.appropriate to a profession: professional objectivity.

4.engaged in one of the learned professions: A lawyer is a professional person.

5.following as a business an occupation ordinarily engaged in as a pastime: a professional golfer.

6.making a business or constant practice of something not properly to be regarded as a business: "A salesman," he said, "is a professional optimist."

7.undertaken or engaged in as a means of livelihood or for gain: professional baseball.

8.of or for a professional person or his or her place of business or work: a professional apartment; professional equipment.

9.done by a professional; expert: professional car repairs. -noun

10.a person who belongs to one of the professions, esp. one of the learned professions.

11.a person who earns a living in a sport or other occupation frequently engaged in by amateurs: a golf professional.

12.an expert player, as of golf or tennis, serving as a teacher, consultant, performer, or contestant; pro.

13.a person who is expert at his or her work: You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

There's a difference between what some acedemics and people think what constitute a "profession" and "professional behavior".

[kstaffeil]

Did we ever gain ground? Who is working on changing this so nurses stay in the profession? I have enough previous business experience to go into another aspect of HEalthcare but I did pay for all the schooling to become a nurse.

[kstaffeil]

I believe this relates well to my comments. Treated as professionals, perform as professionals or your job is in jeoprady

[kstaffeil]

and employers wonder why no one wants to work on the floor?!?!?

[kstaffeil]

Those of that take pride in our profession should have some recourse.