Today I was filling out a survey. Under the occupation section I immediately scanned for "professional"
Boy was I startled to see these first 2 options:
•professional (eg doctor, accountant)
•semi-professional (eg nurse, technician)
ummm what?!?! 😡😡😡 so frustrating to not be viewed as a professional when I have a bachelors degree, a speciality certificate, and 7 years experience not to mention a specialised knowledge and skill set for my PROFESSION of nursing!
I had a handsome civil servant let me off on a speeding ticket today when I was heading home from work. He said that nurses and cops need to stick together. :)
I always thought that traditionally, the "professional" title (categorically speaking) referred to someone with a graduate level degree. Not saying that nurses aren't professionals, I just remember that from some deep-seeded etiquette trauma. (Or something)
Many educated professionals do not work as employees and instead work as independent contractors. My accountant is in private practice; my physician is not an employee; my dentist is in private practice; lawyers I have seen have been partners in their firm or in private practice; a friend who is a computer scientist was an independent contractor; my sister is married to an executive who although not in independent practice is an executive director of his firm. The majority of nurses, no matter how degreed, certified, or experienced, work as employees, not independent contractors; that is the main reason nurses do not have control of their work environment, and is why some people consider nurses semi-professionals.
My dentist is in the faculty practice at a state university. My PCP is in a faculty/university affiliated practice. The surgeons I work with are also university affiliated. Then again, I work at a teaching facility which may or may not make things different. Just pointing out that not all of people with those jobs HAVE their own practice.
I feel that nursing can be professional but isn't wholly there (all the time). I think those working to advance the practice (working with legislation or to unite/unify the practice) are better examples than the average Joes or Janes who go to work, work and go home. I say that as someone who has been on both sides of it. There's nothing wrong with being busy outside of work, or not doing anything "extra".
I would agree with the points made by others that a uniform entry to practice education requirement would help with people's perceptions of us, but I don't think that alone is the only thing. The thing for me is - most nurses could not be replaced by just anyone with no knowledge or training. I know in my specialty it could never happen. We're also licensed and regulated.
I work as an employee. But I have been involved in multiple projects this year that have affected my work environment/practice. I made the mistake of making a logical complaint to our director about something and she gifted me the project. Then again, maybe this is dependent largely on the culture of a facility/healthcare system. Our system is very patient centered and quality driven, which probably helps. I never saw this level of patient and quality focus with previous employers. I can request to speak to my manager, my director or her boss (within executive administration) about issues - and if it's a logical or fact based complaint they will at the least, hear me out.
My dentist is in the faculty practice at a state university. My PCP is in a faculty/university affiliated practice. The surgeons I work with are also university affiliated. Then again, I work at a teaching facility which may or may not make things different. Just pointing out that not all of people with those jobs HAVE their own practice.
Since you quoted my post I just want to point out that I did say: "Many educated professionals do not work as employees and instead work as independent contractors . . . "
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
The thing for me is - most nurses could not be replaced by just anyone with no knowledge or training. I know in my specialty it could never happen. We're also licensed and regulated.
Hairstylists, nail technicians, and long-distance truck drivers are also licensed and regulated. Furthermore, these hardworking people could not be replaced by just anyone off the street with no knowledge or training.
In the USA, we have trouble talking about social class. Words like "educated" or "professional" are used as euphemisms for what we really mean.
Socially, nursing is considered middle class. We sit at the middle class table in the school cafeteria with the other middle class teachers, technicians, etc. It is not always correlated with our responsibilities, it has more to do with social perceptions. When a stranger asks "what do you do?", nursing gets an OK response.
Hairstylists, nail technicians, and long-distance truck drivers are also licensed and regulated. Furthermore, these hardworking people could not be replaced by just anyone off the street with no knowledge or training.
They are hardworking but they don't have to be " educated" and they are not dealing with human lives.
Clients rather than customers is a gray area. I've turned patients away before because of attitude, language, physical violence, etc. Granted, if they collapsed I would aid them.
I consider myself a professional. I've been berated by patients, threatened by patients, and physically harmed by a patient before and I remained calm and composed the entire time. My poker-face is practically second to none. I mean, I got upset after the matter but kept it more than together in front of the patient.
Punching a clock, wearing uniforms, and dealing in bodily fluids are not descriptive of a nurses's responsibilities.
I can calculate intravenous drips to mcg/kg/ minute and titrate it to keep a patient alive.
Sounds pretty professional.
Titrating pressors is pretty basic math. Not exactly rocket science. An no, those are not fully descriptive of a nurse's responsibilities, but they are a very substantial part of them.
Hairstylists, nail technicians, and long-distance truck drivers are also licensed and regulated. Furthermore, these hardworking people could not be replaced by just anyone off the street with no knowledge or training.
Hairstylists, nail technicians and (private) long-distance truck drivers also aren't usually time clockers and build their business based on reputation.... So does that mean that they are professionals and we aren't O_O
The pro-semi-pro thing always irked me, largely because I am a semi-professional......
HOME DECORATOR.
And a Professional Staff Nurse. Even says so on my badge.
Many educated professionals do not work as employees and instead work as independent contractors. My accountant is in private practice; my physician is not an employee; my dentist is in private practice; lawyers I have seen have been partners in their firm or in private practice; a friend who is a computer scientist was an independent contractor; my sister is married to an executive who although not in independent practice is an executive director of his firm. The majority of nurses, no matter how degreed, certified, or experienced, work as employees, not independent contractors; that is the main reason nurses do not have control of their work environment, and is why some people consider nurses semi-professionals.
I have worked as an independent contractor as a nurse; so, I guess I'm a professional.
kalycat, BSN, RN
1 Article; 553 Posts
I had a handsome civil servant let me off on a speeding ticket today when I was heading home from work. He said that nurses and cops need to stick together. :)
I always thought that traditionally, the "professional" title (categorically speaking) referred to someone with a graduate level degree. Not saying that nurses aren't professionals, I just remember that from some deep-seeded etiquette trauma. (Or something)